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*  * 


TRAVELS 

INTO 

POLAND,  RUSSIA,  SWEDEN, 

AND 

DENMARK. 
V  O  L.     II. 


r       11 


TRAVELS 


INTO 


POLAND,  RUSSIA,  SWEDEK, 

AND 

D    E    N    M    A    R    K. 

INTERSPERSED  WITH  fflSTORICAL  RELATIONS 
AND  POLITICAL  INQpiRIES. 

ILLUSTRATED   WITH    CHARTS    AND    ENGRATINGS* 

By  WILLIAM  COXE,  A.M.  F.R.S- 

One  of  the  Senior  Fellows  of  ELing's  College,  Cambridge  ; 

Chaplain  to  his  Grace  the  Duke  of  Marlborough ; 

Member  of  the  Imperial  (Economical  Society  at  St. 

Peteriburgh, 

And  of  the  Royal  Academy  of  Sciences  at  Copenhagen. 
IN    FOUR    VOLUMES. 

THE     THIRD     EDITION. 


VOLUME    THE    SECOND. 

LONDON: 
PRINTED  FOR   T.  CADELL,    IN  THE   8TRAND4 


M  DCCLXXXVII. 

*i  /■          ■■",''•      -     .»  • 
.'■r      -        •      .-,'■.:■ 

[     V     J 


» "r 


CONTENTS  of  VOLUME  II 


BOOK    III. 
TRAVELS   into    RUSSIA. 

t 

III.  r^ENERALdefcription  of  the  churches 

in  Mofcovr.— Of  an  enormous  bell. — 

Prhtcipcd  buildings  of  the  Kremlin. 

— Tombs  and  cbaraSlers  of  the  tzars. 

^^Genealogical  tables.  p.  i 

IV,  Tqmbs  of  the  ^uS^m  patriarchs. — Re- 
count of  the  p0trf(frchf  Pbilaretes  and 
Nicon,  ?•  2^9 

V.  Ru0ian  archives.— Correjpondence  be-^ 
twen  Elizabeth  queen  of  England, 
and  Ivan  Vaffilievitch  Il.-r-i?^  of 
the  titles  (f  tzar  cfnd  emperor. ^ — Uni-^ 
^^/y.-^MatthjeiV  catalogue  of  the 
Grq^H  Manufcripts^ — Hymn  to  Ceres 
attributed  to  Homer,  ?•  56 

VI.  Market  for  the  fale  (f  houfes. — Founds 
ling  hofpital. — Excur/ion  tqthe  mo^ 
nafiery  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  ^       p.  84 

10  VIL  Hiftory 


^ 


vi  CO  NT  E  N  T  S. 

CHAP. 

VII*  Hijiory  of  the  tzar  who  reigned  under  the 
name  ^/'Demetrius. — Grounds  for fup^ 

p.  114 

VIII.  Of  the  pzittcejk  >Sftphia  Alexiefna,  ^^ r 

of. Feter  the  Great.  p.  1 59 


B  P  O  K    IV 


% 


I.  Departure  from  Mofcow.  —  Tver.—* 
Journey  towards  VtttrfbxxT^.  p.  ?oi 

II.  Noyogprod.r^Qontinuation  of  t^ejfjoUrney 
ta  Pcterfburgh.  p-  236 

.  IIL  Defcription  (f  Pcterlburgh. — Inunda- 
tion f  of  the  Neva. — Plan  for  a  bridge 
of  a  Jingle  arch  acrofs  the  Neva.: — 
Colojfal  fiatue  of  fcter  the  Great.— 
Precautions  againji  the  cold.-^Ice  hills. 
^^-Annualfair  upon  the  Neva.  p.  257 
IV;  Prefentation  to  the  emprefs. — Court. --^ 
Orders  of  knight  hood i — Hofpitality  of 
the  Rufilan  nohles^  &c.  p.  302 

Y.  Rortre/s.^^CathedraL — Tombs  and  cha^ 
ra^rs  of  Betcr  the  Great,  and  of  the 
Imperial  family  .-^r-HiJiory  of  the  boat, 
called  the  Little  Grandfire,  which 
gave  rije  to  tbeJk\x{^?^  navy  upon  the 
Hack  Sea,  p.  335 

I  VI.  Tzarfko- 


CONTENTS. 


vu 


CHAP. 

VI.  Tzarflco  -  Zelo.  —  Oranienbaum.  — 

Prince    Mentchikof,  —  Peterhof.  — 

Schluflelburgh.  p.  070 

VII,  0/"  Catharine  I.  P-  398 

VIII.  Account  of AXcKcy  VcXxovltchy  and  of  his 

mjk  ChaiifetW  Cteii{mit'Sb|»Jia^/*^ 

.<^«5f^BttHif«dck.  P-  435 

A  P  P  E  N  D  I'X. 

C{tt(flo^ue  ofiooks,  &ic'. '  .       ^  4*i; 


List 


List  of  the  Plates,  &c.  of  Vol*  IL  with 
Dircdions  for  placing  them* 

Sovereigns  of  Mofcow,  &c*     to  face  page  28 
Specimen  of  Ruffian  Print  -         -      72 

Plan  of  St*  Peterfturgh,  publifhed  in  that  city 

in  1776 ^57 

Ruffian  Gentleman  in  a  winter  drefs  •     289 

Ruffian  Peafant  .  .  ^     294 

Head  of  the  Emprefs  of  Ruffia,  from  an  ori- 
ginal painting  by  Brumpton,  in  the  poflef- 
fion  of  the  Earl  of  Orford      -        -302 


tRAVBLS 


TRAVELS 

INTO 

RUSSIA, 


MPi^Mai|«ff 


BOOK     IIL 


CHAP.    IIL 


1 


T^umber  of  churches  in  Mofcow. — Defcriptioft 
of  the  moft  ant  lent. — Hheir  outward JiruSlure. 
—  Interior  divifions.  —  JForJhip  of  painted 

'  images. — Defcription  of  an  enormous  helL — 
Principal  buildings  in  the  Kremlin. — Antient 
palace. — Convent  of  Tfchudof. — Nunnery  of 
Viefnovitlkoi, — Cathedral  of  St.  Michael. 
— Tombs  and  char aBers  of  the  Tzars.— 
Genealogical  tables  of  the  fovereigns  of  Mof- 
cow of  the  houfe  of  Ruric* — Of  different 
families. — Of  the  line  g/'Romanof. 

TH  E  places  of  divine  worfhip  at  Mofcow 
are  exceedingly  numerous;  including 
chapels^  they  amount  to  above  a  thoufand : 
there  are  484  public  churches,  of  which  199 
Vol.  II.  B  arc 


2  TRAVELS    INTO   RI/SSIA.  B.  J^ 

are  of  brick,  and  the  others  of  woodi  the 
former  arc  commonly  ftuccoed  or  white- 
wafhed,  the  latter  painted  of  a  red  colour. 

The  moft  antient  churches  of  Mofcow  are 
generally  fquare  buildings,  with  a  cupola  and 
four  fmall  domes  ♦,  fome  whereof  are  of  cop- 
per or  iron  gilt ;  others  of  iron  tinned,  either 
plain  or  painted  green.  Thefe  cupolas  and 
domes  are  for  the  moft  part  ornamented  with 
crofles  entwined  with  thin  chains  or  wires : 
each  crofs  has  two  tranfverfe  bars  -f-,  the 
upper  horizontal,  the  lower  inclining;  which, 
according  to  the  fuppofition  of  many  Ruffians, 
is  fuppofed  to  have  been  the  form  of  the  real 
crofs,  and  that  our  Saviour  was  nailed  to  it 
with  his  arms  in  an  horizontal  pofition,  and 
one  of  the  legs  higher  than  the  other.  I  fre- 
quently obferved  a  crefcent  under  the  lower 

*  The  church  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  fometimes  called 
the  Church  of  Jerufalem,  which  ftands  in  the  Khitaigorod, 
clofe  to  the  gate  leading  into  the  Kremlin,  has  a  kind  of 
high  fteeple  and  nine  or  ten  domes  :  it  was  built  in  the  feign 
of  Ivan  VafTilievitch  IL  An  engraving  of  that,  as  well 
as  of  fome  of  the  more  antient  churches,  may  be  feen  in 
Olearius  and  Le  Brun's  Travels. 

t  I  am  here  defcribing  the  moft  antient  churches  5  the 
modern  crofles  over  thofe  of  St.  Petcrfburgh  arc  moftlv 
fingle* 

bar^ 


c.  3*  MOSCOW.  3 

bar,  the  meaning  of  which  no  one  could 
explain  *. 

The  infide  of  the  church  is  moftly  com- 
pofed  of  three  parts;  that  called  by  the 
Greeks  'wpovaoc,  by  the  Ruffians  Trapeza^ 
the  body ;  and  the  fantfhiary  or  fhrine. 

In  the  body  of  the  church  there  are  fre- 
quently four  fquare  pillars,  very  thick  and 
heavy,  for  the  purpofe  of  fupporting  the  cu- 
pola :  thefe  pillars,  as  well  as  the  walls  and 
cielings,  are  painted  with  innumerable  repre- 
fentations  of  our  Saviour,  the  Virgin  Mary, 
V  and  of  different  faints.  Many  of  the  figures 
are  enormoufly  large,  and  are  executed  in  the 
rudeft  manner ;  fome  are  daubed  upon  the 
bare  walls  ;  others  upon  large  maffive  plates 
of  filver  or  brafs,  or  enclofed  in  frames  of 
thofe  metals.     The  head  of  each  figure  is  in- 

♦  Dr.  King  accounts  for  the  crcfcent  in  the  following 
ingenious  manner.  **  Some  churches  have  a  crefcent 
*'  under  the  crofs ;  for  when  the  Tartars,  to  whom  Mu/- 
*'  covy  was  fubjefled  two  hundred  years,  converted  any 
"  of  the  churches  into  mofques  for  the  ufe  of  their  own 
''  religion,  they  fixed  the  crefcent,  the  badge  of  Mahome- 
"  tanifm,  upon  them :  and  when  the  grand-duke  Ivan  Ba- 
*'  fdovitch  had  delivered  his  country  from  the  Tartar  yoke, 
"  and  reftored  thofe  edifices  to  the  Chriftian  worfhip,  he 
**  left  the  crefcent  remaining,  and  planted  a  crofs  upon  it 
"  as  a  mark  of  its  viftory  over  its  enemy,"  Rites  and 
Ceremonies  of  die  Greek  Church,  p.  23. 

B  2  variably 


4  TRAVELS   INTO   RUSSIA.  B.  ^j 

variably  decked  with  a  glory;  which  is  a 
mafly  femicircle,  greatly  refembling  an  horfe- 
fhoe^  of  brafs,  filver,  or  gold,  and  fometimes 
compofed  almoft  entirely  of  pearls  arid  pre- 
ciotis  Hones.  Some  of  the  favourite  faints 
are  adorned  with  filken  drapery  faftened  to 
the  walls,  and  ftudded  with  jewels ;  fome  are 
painted  upon  a  gold  ground,  and  others  are 
gilded  in  all  parts  but  their  face  and  hands. 
Towards  the  extremity  of  the  body  of  the 
church  is  a  flight  of  fteps  leading  to  the 
fhrine ;  and  between  thefe  fteps  and  the  fhrine 
is  ufually  a  platform,  upon  which  the  offici- 
ating minifter .  ftands  and  performs  part  of 
the  fervice. 

The  fhrine  or  fanduary  is  divided  from  the 
body  of  the  church  by  the  Inconojias ^  or 
fkreen,  generally  the  part  the  nioft  richly 
ornamented,  and  on  which  the  moll  holy 
pi<5tures  are  painted  or  hung  *.     In  its  cen- 

*  "  On  the  north  fide  of  the  royal  doors  the  pifture  of 
"  the  Virgin  is  always  placed,  and  that  of  Jefus  on  the 
*'  fouth ;  next  to  which  is  that  of  the  faint  to  whom  the 
*'  church  is  dedicated  \  the  fituation  of  the  reft  is  indif^  i 
"  ferent.  Candles  or  lamps  are  ufually  fufpended  before 
*'  the  images  of  Jefus  and  the  Virgin,  and  feveral  others, 
"  and  fometimes  kept  perpetually  burning.*'  Dr.  King 
on  the  Greek  church,  p.  29  j  to  which  book  I  would  re- 
fer the  reader  who  defires  further  information  on  th(s, 
fubjc£l:. 

tre 


C.  3,  MOSCOW.  5 

tre  are  the  folding,  called  the  holy,  royal,  or 
beautiful  doors,  which  lead  to  the  ihrine, 
within  which  is  the  holy  table,  as  Dr.  King 
well  defcribes  it,  "  with  four  fmall  columns 
^*  to  fupport  a  canopy  over  it ;  from  which 
**  a  perijierion^  or  dove,  is  fuipended,  as  a 
**  iymbol  of  the  Holy  Ghoft ;  upon  the  holy 
**  table  the  crofs  is  always  laid,  and  the 
*^  Gofpel,  and  the  pyxis,  or  box,  in  which 
a  part  of  the  confecrated  elements  is  pre- 
ferved,  for  vifiting  the  lick  or  other  pur- 
"pofes*." 

It  is  contrary  to  the  tenets  of  the  Greek 
religion  to  admit  a  carved  image  within  the 
churches,  in  conformity  to  the  prohibition  in 
Scripture,  "  Thou  fhalt  not  make  to  thyfelf 
**  a  graven  image,'*  &c.  By  not  confider- 
ing,  however,  the  prohibition  as  extending 
to  reprefentations  by  painting,  the  Greek  ca- 
nonifts,  while  they  have  followed  the  letter, 
have  departed  from  the  fpirit  of  the  com- 
mandment, which  pofitively  forbids  us  to 
worfhip  the  likenefs  of  any  thing  under 
whatever  form,  or  in  whatever  manner  it  may 
be  delineated  :  for  if  we  transfer  our  adoration 
from  the  Creator  to  any  objed:  of  his  crea- 

# 

*  Dr.  King  on  the  Greek  church,  p.  26^ 

B  3  tlon; 


6  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  3, 

tion  *,  it  is  of  little  confequence  whether  we 
bow  down  to  the  produftions  of  the  painter^ 
or  to  thofe  of  the  fculptor. 

Over  the  door  of  each  church  is  the  por- 
trait of  the  faint  to  whom  it  is  dedicated ;  to 
which  the  common  people  pay  their  homage 
as  they  pafs,  by  taking  off  thdr  hats,  croffing 
themfelves,  and  occafionally  touching  the 
ground  with  their  heads,  a  ceremony  which 
I  often  faw  them  repeat  nine  or  ten  times  in 
fucceffion. 

Before  I  clofe  the  general  defcription  of 
the  Ruffian  churches,  I  mufl  not  forget  their 
bells,  which  form,  I  may  almoft  fay,  no  in- 
considerable part  of  divine  worfhip  in  this 
country ;  as  the  length  or  ihortpefs  of  their 
peals  afcertains  the  greater  or  leiTer  fandity 
of  the  day.  They  are  hung  in  belfreys  de- 
tached from  the  church :  they  do  not  fwing 
like  our  bells,  bvit  are  fixed  immoveably  to 
the  beams,  are  rung  by  a  rope  tied  to  the 
clapper,  and  pulled  fiHeways.  Someofthefe 
bells  are  of  a  ftupendous  fize:  one  in  the 
tower  of  St.  Ivan's  church  weighs  3551  Ruffian 
poods,  or  127,836  Englifh  pounds.  It  ha$ 
always  been  efteemed  a  meritorious  adl  of 
religion  to  prefent  a  church  with  bells  ;  and 

the 


c.  2^  M  o  s  c;  o  w.  7 

the  piety  of  the  donor  has  been  meafured  by 
their  magnitude.  According  to  this  mode  pf 
^jftimation,  Boris  Godunof,  who  gave  a  bell 
of  2^8, GOO  pounds  to  the  cathedral  of  Mof- 
cow,  was  the  moft  pious  fovereign  of  Ruffia, 
until  he  was  furpaffed  by  the  emprefs  Anne ; 
at  whofe  expence  a  bell  was  call  weighing 
432,000  pounds,  and  which  exceeds  in  big^ 
nefs  every  bell  in  the  known  world.  Its 
fize  is  fo  enormous,  that  I  could  fcarcely  have 
given  credit  to  the  account  of  its  magnitude 
if  I  had  not  examined  it  myfelf,  and  afcertain- 
ed  its  dimenfions  with  great  exad:nefs.  Its 
height  is  nineteen  feet,  its  circumference  at 
the  botom  twenty-one  yards  eleven  inches, 
its  greateft  thicknefs  twenty-three  inches  *• 
The  beam  to  which  this  vaft  machine  was 
faftened  being  accidentally  burnt;  the  bell 
fell  down,  and  a  fragment  was  broken  off 
towards  the  bottom,  which  left  an  aperture 
large  enough  to  admit  two  perfons  a-breaft 
without  Hooping. 

Our  inn  being  clofe  to  the  walls  of  Krem- 
lin, I  had  frequent  opportunities  of  examining 
its  principal  buildings. 

The  palace,  inhabited  by  the  antient  tzars, 

*  Mr.  Hanway,  in  his  Travels,  has  given  an  accurate 
defcription  and  engraving  of  this  bell. 

B  4  ftands 


t  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA,        B.  3^ 

ftands  at  the  extremity  of  the  Kremlin,  Part 
of  this  palace  is  old,  and  continues  in  the 
fame  ftate  in  which  it  was  built  under  Ivan 
Vaffilievitch  I.  The  remainder  has  been  fuc- 
ceffively  added  at  different  intervals  without 
any  plan,  and  in  various  flyles  of  architedhire; 
which  has  produced  a  motley  pile  of  building, 
remarkable  for  nothing  but  the  incongruity 
of  the  feveral  ftruftures.  The  top  is  thickly 
fet  with  numerous  little  gilded  fpires  and 
globes  J  and  a  large  portion  of  the  front  is 
decorated  with  the  arms  of  all  the  provinces, 
which  compofe  the  Ruffian  empire.  The 
apartments  are  in  general  exceedingly  fmall, 
excepting  one  fingle  room,  called  the  council- 
chamber,  in  which  the  antient  tzars  ufed  to 
give  audience  to  foreign  embafladors;  and 
which  has  been  repeatedly  defcribed  by  fe- 
veral Englifh  travellers,  who  vifited  Mofcow 
before  the  Imperial  refidence  was  transferred 
to  Peterfburgh.  The  room  is  large  and  vault r 
ed ;  and  has  in  the  centre  an  enormous  pillar 
of  ftone,  which  fupports  the  cieling  *. 

*  "  The  roof  of  the  audience-chamber  was  arched 
"  and  fupported  by  a  great  pillar  in  the  middle."  Lord 
Garlifle's  Embafly,  p.  149.  In  the  feaft  which  Alexey 
Michaelovitch  gave  to  the  Earl  of  Carlifle,  this  great  pillar 
was  adorned  with  a  wonderful  variety  of  gold  and  filver 
veffels,  p.  292, 

This 


C.  3.  MOSCOW.  9 

This  palace,  in  which  the  tzars  formerly 
held  their  courts  in  all  the  fplendour  of 
Eaftern  pomp  *,   was  once  efteemed  by  the 

natives 

*  The  author  of  Lord  Carlifle*s  Embafljr  defcribes  in 
the  following  hyperbolical  expreffions,  the  Afiatic  mag- 
nificence of  the  court  of  Alexey  Michaelovitch,  at  the  fii 
audience  of  the  embaffadors.  "  And  here  (in  the  audience 
"  chamber)  it  was  we  Were  like  thofe  who  coming  fud- 
^^  denly  out  of  the  dark  are  dazzled  with  the  brightneft 
"  of  the  fun  :  the  fplendour  of  their  jewels  feeming  to 
contend  for  priority  with  that  of  the  day ;  fo  that  we 
were  loft  as  it  were  in  this  confufion  of  glory.  The 
"  tzar,  like  a  fparkling  fun,  (to  fpeak  in  the  Ruffian  dia- 
*'  left)  darted  forth  moft  fumptuous  rays,  being  moft  ma«-- 
*^  nificently  placed  upon  his  throne,  with  his  fceptre  in  hi 
**  hand,  and  having  his  crown  on  his  head.  His  throne 
**  was  of  maffive  fdver  gilt,  wrought  curiouflyon  the  top 
*'  with  feveral  works  and  pyramids ;  and  being  (even  or 
**  eight  fteps  higher  than  the  floor,  it  rendered  the  perfoa 
*'  of  the  prince  tranfcendently  majeftic.  The  fceptre  glit- 
*'  tered  all  over  with  jewels,  his  veft  was  fet  with  the  like 
^  from  top  to  the  bottom  down  the  opening  before,  and 
^  his  collar  was  anfwerable  to  the  fame.  By  his  fide  he 
^  had  four  of  the  talleft  lords  ftanding  below  his  throne 
*^  each  of  them  with  a  battle-ax  upon  his  fhoulder,  and 
*'  with  a  profound  gravity  cafting  their  eyes  now  and 
^  then  upon  the  tzar,  as  inviting  us  to  an  admiration  of 
^his  grandeur.  Their  habits  were  no  lefs  remarkable 
^  than  their  countenances,  being  all  four  of  them,  from 
•*  the  top  of  their  head  to  the  fole  of  their  foot,  clothed 
"  in  white  vefts  of  ermine,  and  having  chains  of  gold. 
**  But  that  which  veas  farther  admirable  was  the  glorious 

*'  equipage 


JO  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA^       B.  3, 

natives  an  edifice  of  unparalleled  magnificence : 
it  is,  fince  die  late  improvements  in  architec- 
ture, far  furpaflcd  by  the  ordinary  manfions 
fjf  the  nobility,  and  by  no  means  calculated 
even  for  thiS  temporary  refidence  of  the  fo- 
vereign.  Iii  this  palace  Peter  the  Great  came 
into  the  \^orld,  in  the  year  1672  ;  an  event 
here  mentioned,  not  only  becaufe  it  is  re- 
markable in  the  annals  of  this  country,  but 
becaufe  the  Ruffians  themfelves  were,  till 
very  lately,  ignorant  of  the  place  in  which 
tl^ir  favourite  hero  was  born.  That  honour 
was  ufually  afcribed  to  Columna,  which, 
on  that  fuppofition,  has  been  profanely  ftyled 
the  Bethlehem  of  Ruffia ;  but  the  judicious 
MuUer  has  unquefUonably  proved,  that  the 
Imperial  palace  of  Mofcow  was  the  place  of 
Peter's  nativity  *.     I  was  greatly  difappoint- 

•^  equipage  of  the  Bojrars  prefent  at  this  audience,  who 
**  were  as  (o  many  beams  of  the-  fun  elevated  in  his  tri- 
**  umphant  car,  and  feemed  to  have  no  luftre  Jnit  to  do 
•*  homage  withal   to  their  great  monarch.     They  were 

^  about  two  hundred,  clothed  all  with  veils  of  cloth  of 
**  gold,  cloth  of  fJver,  or  velvet  fet  with  jewels,  ^1  placed 
^*  in  order  upon  benches  covered  with  tapeftry,"  &c. 
p.  I47»  to  149.  The  reader  will  find  many  defcriptions 
of  the  tzar's  magnificence  and  court,  in  the  feveral  ac- 

.  counts  of  the  different  embafEcs  in  Hackluyt's  Colleton 
of  Vopges. 

♦  Sec  Journ.  St.  Pet,  i 

12  ed 


C.  3*  MOSCOW.  II 

cd  that  we  could  not  view  that  part  of  the 
palace  called  the  treafury.  The  keeper  be- 
ing lately  dead,  the  door  was  fealcd  up,  and 
could  not  be  opened,  until  a  fucceflbr  was 
appointed.  Befide  the  ci^own,  jewels,  and 
royal  robes,  ufed  at  the  coronation  of  the 
ibvereign,  this  repofitory,  as  we  were  in- 
formed, contains  feveral  curiofities,  which 
relate  to  and  illuftratc  the  hiftory  of  this 
country. 

There  are  two  convents  in  the  Kremlin  ; 
one  is  a  nunnery,  and  the  other  a  monaftery 
for  men,  called  Tfchudof.  The  latter  does  not 
merit  any  particular  defcription ;  I  entered  it 
merely  becaufe  it  is  well  known  in  the  Ruffian 
hiftory  as  the  place  wherein  the  tzar  Vaffili 
Shuiiki  was  confined,  A.  D.  1610,  after  his 
depofition,  and  from  whence  he  was  taken  in 
order  to  be  carried  into  Poland :  where  he  only 
exchanged  one  prifon  for  another  ftill  more 
difinal ;  and  where  he  fell  a  victim  to  his 
own  difappointment  and  chagrin,  as  well  as 
to  the  ill-treatment  of  the  Poles.  We  arc 
naturally  led  to  compaffionate  the  fate  of  an 
exiled  and  depofed  monarch,  who  dragged  on 
a  riiiferable  exiftence  amidft  the  horrors  of 
perpetual  imprifonment :  but  the  black  ingra- 
titude of  Vaffili  Shui£ki  towards  Demetrius, 

his 


J2  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        8,3, 

his  fovereign  and  benefaftor,  almoft  cxtin- 
guifhes  our  fenfe  of  his  calamities.  For  even 
if  the  perfon  who  affumed  the  name  of  De- 
metrius v^^as  an  impoftor,  Shuilki,  when  con- 
demned for  high-treafon  to  an  ignominious 
death,  was  indebted  to  him  for  his  pardon ; 
an  ad:  of  clemency  ill  requited  by  the  depo- 
fition  and  murder  of  his  benefactor  *• 

The  nunnery,  called  Viefnovitfkoi,  was 
founded  in  1393  by  Eudoxia,  wife  of  the 
great-duke  Dmitri  Ivanovitch  Doniki.  The 
abbefs  politely  accompanied  us  over  the  con- 
vent, and  pointed  out  every  objedl  in  the  leaft 
degree  worthy  of  attention.  She  firft  con- 
ducted us  to  the  principal  chapel,  which 
contained  the  tombs  of  feveral  tzarinas  and 
princefles  of  the  Imperial  family.  The  tombs 
are  a  kind  of  ftone-coffins  laid  on  the  floor, 
and  ranged  in  rows  very  near  each  other: 
feme  were  inclofed  with  brafs,  and  others 
with  iron  balluflrades,  but  the  greateft  num- 
ber had  no  diftinCtion  of  this  fort.  Each  fe- 
pulchre  was  covered  with  a  pall  of  crimfon 
or  black  velvet,  ornamented  with  an  embroi- 
dered crofs  in  the  middle,  and  edged  with  a 
border  of  gold  ^d  filver  lace :  over  thefe,  on 

*  See  Chap.  VIL 

great 


C*   3.  M    O    S    C    O   W»  13 

great  feftivals,  are  laid  other  coverings  of  gold 
and  filver  tiffue,  richly  ftudded  with  pearls 
and  precious  ftones.  The  foundrefs  of  the 
convent  is  a  laint,  and  is  buried  under  the 
altar.  The  abbefs  very  obligingly  prefented 
me  vv^ith  a  MS.  Ruffian  account  of  the  prin- 
cefies,  who  are  interred  in  the  church.  Af- 
ter we  had  fully  examined  thefe  repofitories  of 
the  dead,  and  furveyed  the  rich  veftments  of 
the  priefts,  and  the  figures  of  various  faints 
painted  on  the  walls,  the  abbefs  invited  us 
into  her  apartments.  She  led  the  way,  and 
at  the  top  of  the  ftairs,  as  we  entered  the  anti- 
chamber,  ftruck  the  floor  two  or  three  blows 
with  her  ivory-handled  cane ;  when  a  chorus 
of  about  twenty  nuns  received  us  with  hymns, 
which  they  continued  finging  as  long  as  wc 
ftaid  :  the  melody  was  not  unpleafing.  In  an 
adjoining  room  tea  was  ferved  to  the  company, 
and  a  table  was  plentifully  fpread  with  pickled 
herrings,  flices  of  falt-fifh,  cheefe,  bread, 
butter,  and  cakes;  champagne  and  liqueurs 
were  prefented  by  the  abbefs  herfelf.  After 
we  had  partaken  of  thefe  refreshments,  we 
attended  the  abbefs  through  the  apartments 
of  the  nuns ;  many  of  whom  were  employed 
in  embroidering  facerdotal  habits  for  the  arch- 

bifhop 


14  rRAVELS   INTO   RUSSIA.       B.  3. 

bifhop  of  Mofcow:  and  we  then  took  our 
leave. 

The  nuns  wore  a  long  robe  of  black  ftufF, 
black  veils,  black  forehead-cloth,  and  black 
wrappers  under  the  chin.  The  abbefs  was 
diftinguifhed  by  a  robe  of  black  filk.  The 
nuns  are  totally  prohibited  from  meat,  living 
chiefly  upon  fifh,  eggs,  and  vegetables.  In 
other  refpedts  the  order  is  not  rigid;  and 
they  are  allowed  to  pay  occafional  vifits  in 
the  town. 

I  have  already  had  occafion  to  mention 
the  great  number  of  churches  contained  in 
this  city.  The  Kremlin  is  not  without  its 
fhare;  in  a  fmall  compafs  I  counted  eight 
almoft  contiguous  to  each  other.  Two  of 
thefe  churches,  that  of  St.  Michael,  and  that 
of  the  Aflumption  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  are 
remarkable ;  the  one  for  being  the  place 
where  the  fovereigns  of  Ruflia  were  formerly 
interred ;  and  the  otherwhere  they  are  crowned. 
Thefe  edifices  are  in  the  fame  ftyle  of  archi- 
te<fture;  and  were  probably  conilrudled  by 
Solarius  of  Milan,  who  built  th?  walls  of 
the  Kremlin.  Though  the  architedt  was 
obliged  to  conform  his  plan  to  the  tafte  of 
ecclefiaftical  buildings  which  prevailed  at  that 
time  in  Ruflia ;  yet  their  exterior  form  is  not 

abfolutely 


C.  3*  MOSCOW,  15 

abfolutely  inelegant,  although  it  is  an  oblong 
fquare,  and  much  too  high  in  proportioa 
to  the  breadth. 

In  the  cathedral  of  St.  Michael  I  viewed 
the  tombs  of  the  Ruflian  fovereigns.  The 
bodies  are  not,  as  with  us,  depofited  in  vaults, 
or  beneath  the  pavement,  but  are  entombed 
in  railed  fepulchres,  moftly  o£  brick,  in  the 
fhape  of  a  coffin,  and  about  two  feet  ia 
height.  When  I  vifited  the  cathedral,  the 
moft  antient  were  covered  with  palls  of  red 
cloth,  others  of  red  velvet,  and  that  cf 
Peter  11.  with  gold  tiflue*,  bordered  with 
filver  fringe  and  ermine.  Each  tomb  has 
at  its  lower  extremity  a  fmall  filver  plate, 
upon  which  is  engraved  the  name  of  the 
deceafed  ibvereign,  and  the  aera  of  hii 
jdeath- 

From  the  time  that  Mofcow  became  the 
Imperial  refidence  to  the  olofe  of  the  lail 
century,  all  the  tzars  have  been  interred 
in  this  cathedral ;  excepting  Boris  Godunof^ 
whofe  remains  are  depofited  in  the  convent 
of  the  Holy  Trinity  "f* ;   the  tzar  under  the 

♦  Upon  great  feftivals  all  the  fepulchres  are  covered 
with  rich  .palls  of  gold  or  filver  brocade,  ftudded  widi 
pearls  and  jewels. 

t  See  Chap.  VL 

name 


l6  TRAVELS   INTO   RUSSIA^       B.^i 

name  of  Demetrius  *,  who  waS  deftroyed  in 
a  tumult ;  and  VaiEli  Shuifki,  who  died  in 
captivity  at  Warlaw. 

The  tomb  of  Ivan  Vaflilievitch  I.  who 
may  juftly  be  eftcemed  the  founder  of  the 
Ruffian  greatnefs^  claimed  my  principal  at- 
tention.  At  his  acceflion  to  the  throne  in 
1462,  Rulfia  formed  a  coUedion  of  petty 
principalities  engaged  in  perpetual  wars  with 
each  other,  fome  of  them  nominally  fubjedl 
to  the  great-duke  of  Mofcow,  and  all  of 
them,  together  with  that  monarch  himfelf, 
tributary  to  the  Tartars  •f.  Ivan,  in  the 
courfe  of  a  profperous  reign  of  above  forty 
years,  gave  a  new  afpedt  to  the  Ruffian 
adairs :    he  annexed  to  his  dominions   the 

♦  Sec  Chap.  VII. 

f  The  fervitude  of  the  great-duke  will  beft  appear  from 
the  following  circumftanccs,  recorded  by  Cromer  the  Polifh 
biftorian*  "  Whenever  the  Tartar  embafladors  were  fent 
^  to  Mofcow  in  order  to  colIe£l  the  accuftomed  tribute,, 
•*  the  great-duke  ufed  to  meet  them,  and  offer,  as  a  mark 
•*  of  his  relpedl,  a  cup  of  mare's  milk  5  and  if  a  drop 
^  chanced  to  fall  upon  the  mane  of  the  horfe,  on  which 
♦'the  Tartar  embaffiidor  was  fitting,  he  would  himfelf  lick 
*•  it  up.  When  they  reached  the  hall  of  audience,  the 
^  embafladors  read  the  khan's  letter  feated  upon  a  carpet 
^  of  the  choiceft  furs,  while  the  great-duke  with  his  no- 
*^  bles  knelt,  and  liftened  in  refpedful  filcncc."  Cromer, 
L.  29.  p.  647. 

duchies 


tvV.    ..'.  ..' 


c.  3*  MOSCOW.  17 

duchies  of  Tver  and  other  neighbouring  prin- 
cipahties;  fubdued  Novogorodj  and,  what 
was  ftill  more  glorious  and  beneficial,  he 
refcued  this  country  from  the  Tartar  yoke; 
and  refufed  the  payment  of  the  ignominious 
tribute,  which  for  above  a  century  had  been 
cxad:ed  from  his  predeceflbrs.  He  had  no 
fooner  delivered  Ruflia  from  this  dependence, 
than  his  alliance  was  courted  by  many  Euro- 
pean fbvereigns ;  and  during  his  reign  Mofcow 
faw,  for  the  firft  time,  embafladors  from  the 
emperor  of  Germany,  the  pope,  the  grand- 
fignor,  the  kings  of  Poland  and  Denmark, 
%lid  from  the  republic  of  Venice. 

The  talents  of  this  able  monarch  were  not 
confined  to  military  atchievements :  Ruflia 
was  indebted  to  him  for  the  improvement 
of  her  commerce,  and  for  opening  a  more 
ready  communication  with  the  European  na- 
tions. Under  his  aufpices,  the  knowledge 
of  gunpowder  and  the  art  of  cafliing  cannon 
were  firft  brought  into  Ruflia  by  Arifl:otle 
of  Bologna  *  :  he  employed  the  fame  artifl:  -f*, 
as  well  as  other  foreigners,  to  recoin  the  Ruf-i^ 
fian  money^  which  had  hitherto  been  dif- 
figured  by  Tartar  infcriptions  -,  he  engaged, 
at  a  vafl: .  expence,  Italian  artifts  to  enclofe 

♦  Bachmelfter's  Eflai  fur  la  Bib,  d^Pcterf.  p,  28. 
t  Poflevinus, 

Vol.  It^  C  the 


l8  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.         B.  3* 

the  Kremlins  of  Mofcow  and  Novogorod* 
with  walls  of  brick,  and  to  ere(ft  feveral 
churches  and  other  public  ftrudures  with 
the  fame  materials  *.  For  his  various  civil 
and  military  fervices  he  defervedly  acquired 
the  name  of  the  Great.  He  is  defcribed 
as  a  perfon  of  gigantic  ftature  and  ferocious 
afped:.  His  manners  and  deportment,  ftrong- 
ly  infefted  with  the  barbariim  of  his  age  and 
country,  were  fomewhat  foftened  and  polifhed 
by  the  example  of  his  fecond  wife  Sophia  "f  ; 
a  Grecian  princefs  of  confummate  beauty  and 
winning  addrefs  i  who  to  till  the  fofter  graces 
of  her  fex  added  a  vigorous  and  manly  fpirit^ 

*  A  vaft  efFort  in  thofe  barbarous  times,  and  which 
deferves  to  be  mentioned,  becaufe  at  his  acceffion  to  the 
throne  almoft  all  the  buildings  of  Mofcow  wiere  of  wood. 
.  f  Sophia  was  daughter  of  Thomas  Palaeologus,  brother 
of  Conftantine  the  laft  Grecian  emperor,  who  loft  his  life 
when  Conftantinople  was  taken  by  the  Turks  in  1453- 
Soon  after  that  event  Sophia  repaired  to  Rome  with  her 
fether,  where  they  lived  under  the  prote£Hon  of  the  pope. 
The  latter  is  faid  to  have  negotiated  her  marriage  with  the 
great-duke,  and  even  to  have  beftowed  her  portion,  in 
hopes  of  procuring,  through  her  influence,  great  advantages 
tb  the  Roman  catholic  religion  in  Ruflia.  But  thefe  hopes 
were  fruftrated ;  for  Sophia,  immediately  upon  her  itiar-< 
riage  in  1482,  embraced  the  Greek  religion.  She  en-* 
couraged  her  hufband  in  {baking  off  the  Tartar  yoke  ; 
arid  probably  aflifted  him  in  procuring  the  ableft  architeSs 
from  Italy.  See  Herhfetftein,  in  Rer.  Mof.  Cbmm,  p.  7. 
alfo  Pau.  Jovii  De  Leg.  Mof.— Ibid,  p.  129, 

3  .  And 


c.  3-  M  a  a  c  o  w.  19 

and  who^  while  fhe  infufed  into  her  hirfband 
a  taftc  for  the  arts  of  peace,  animated  him 
to  thofe  glorious  enterprizes  which  tended  to 
the  aggrandizement  of  his  country. 

Ivan  the  Great  died  in  1505,  in  the  67th 
year  of  his  age  :  on  each  fide  of  his  remains 
are  depofited  thofe  of  his  father  VafSli  Vaf- 
filievitch,  furnamed  The  Blind  *  ^  and  of  his 
fon  Vaflili  Ivanovitch,  who  fucceeded  him  in 
the  throne,  and  expired  in  1 5  3  3 . 

In  a  fmall  chapel  adjoining  to  thefe  tombs, 
is  the  fepulchre  of  Ivan  Vaffilievitch  11.  -f 
fon  and  fucceflbr  of  Vaflili  Ivanovitch.  This 
fovereign  is  branded  by  many  writers  with 
the  name  of  tyrant^  and  reprefented  as  the 
moil  odious  monfter  that  ever  difgraced  hu- 
man natut-e.  In  delineating,  however,  his 
general  character,  they  are  fometimes  guilty 
of  falfehood  J,   and   often  of  exaggeration  ; 

and 

♦  He  received  the  appellation  of  the  Blind,  becaufe  his 
eyes  had  been  put  out  by  order  of  his  uncle,  who,  having 
formerly  depofed  him,  praSifed  this  cruel  expedient  in 
order  to  difqualify  him  from  re-afcending  the  throne. 
He  was  afterwards,  however,  reinftated  in  die  fovereignty 
by  the  afFeiHon  of  his  fubje£ls. 

t  Called,  by  the  Englifii  writers,  John  Bafilovitz. 

X  Thus  fome  writers  affert,  that  when  he  walked  out, 
or  made  a  progrefs  through  his  dominions,  if  he  met  any 
one  whofe  mien  difpleafed  him,  he  would  order  his  head  to 
|>c  ftruck  off,  or  do  it  himfelf. 

e  2  Others 


20  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B,3. 

and  feem  totally  to  forget  many  great  qua- 
lities which  he  certainly  poflefled.  Though 
we  fhould  not  give  implicit  credit  to  many 
idle  reports  which  are  related  of  his  favage- 
nefs  and  inhumanity ;  yet  it  would  be  equally 
as  abfurd,  and  contrary  to  hiftorical  evidence, 
to  deny  or  attempt  to  apologife  for  many 
cruelties  *  actually  committed  by  this  mo- 
narch, who,  no  more  than  Peter  the  Great, 
reckoned  clemency  among  the  number  of  his 
virtues. 

Others  as  abfurdly  relate,  that  he  would  order  bears  to 
be  let  loofe  upon  a  crowd  of  people  aflembled  in  the  ftreets 
of  Mofcow,  and  diverted  himfelf  with  the  cries  and  agonies 
of  the  perfons  devoured  by  thofe  ferocious  animals. 

Olearius  informs  us,  that  Ivan  wantonly  commanded  the 
eyes  of  the  architedl,  who  built  the  church  of  the  Holy 
Trinity  at  Mofcow,  to  be  put  out,  that  he  might  never 
conftrudl  any  building  of  fuperior  beauty. 

Thefe  incredible  tales  confute  themfelves ;  but  the  fol- 
lowing charge  we  are  able  to  contradi(9:  from  our  own 
hiftory. ,  Ivan  i?  faid  to  have  ordered  the  hat  of  the 
Englifti  embaflador,  Sir  Jerome  Bowes,  to  be  nailed  to  his 
head,  becaufe  he  refufed  to  take  it  off  in  the  tzar's  pre- 
fence. 

This  report  was  occafioned  by  the  exaggerated  account 
of  a  mifunderftanding  between  the  tzar  and  Sir  Jerome 
Bowes,  which  is  related  in  the  embaflador's  difpatches. 
Hackluyt's  Colle£tion  of  Voyages,  v.  I.  p.  460,  &c. 

*  Inftances  of  which  the  reader  will  find  in  the  6tb 
Chap,  of  this  Book,  and  the  2d  of  Book  IV. 

But 


C.  3*  MOSCOW.  21 

But  while  we  regard  the  ferocity  and  im- 
placability of  his  temper  with  abhorrence; 
we  cannot  refufe  the  tribute  of  admiration 
to  his  political  character.  He  raifed  the 
fuperftrudture  of  the  Ruffian  grandeur,  of 
which  his  grandfather  had  laid  the  foun- 
dation. Inftead  of  a  defultory  militia,  col- 
lefted  in  hafte,  and  always  impatient  to 
difband,  he  inftituted  a  ftanding  army;  he 
aboliihed  the  ufe  of  the  bow,  hitherto  the 
principal  weapon  among  the  Ruffians ;  he 
trained  them  to  fire-arms,  and  accuftomed 
them  to  a  more  regular  difcipline.  By 
means  of  this  formidable  body,  he  extended 
his  donninions  on  all  fides ;  conquered  the 
kingdoms  of  Cafan  and  Aftracan;  and  ren- 
dered the  Ruffian  name  refpedable  to  the 
diftant  powers  of  Europe.  He  gave  to  his 
fubjeds  the  firft  code  of  written  laws ;  he 
invited  foreign  artifts  *  to  Mofcow;  he  in- 
troduced printing  into  Ruffia;  he  promoted 
conmierce,  and  regulated  the  duties  of  export 

*  Above  three  hundred  artifts  of  all  profeflions,  namely, 
painters,  fculptors,  architecSs,  watch-makers,  cafters  of 
bells,  tniners,  armourers,  ftationers,  mafons,  &c.  have  al- 
ready arrived  at  Lubec  in  their  way  to  Mofcow,  hut  were 
prevented  from  proceeding  by  the  intrigues  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Lubec,  and  the  natives  of  Livonia.  Sec  Bach- 
meifter's  EflTai  fur  la  Bib.  &c.  p.  32. 

C  7  a«d 


22  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.         B.J. 

and  import ;  he  permitted  Englifh  merchants 
to  eftablifh  faftories  within  his  dominions  ; 
and,  with  a  liberality  not  always  pradtifed 
by  more  enlightened  fovcreigns,  granted  to 
them  the  free  exercife  of  their  religion ;  he 
had"  even  formed  the  defign,  which  death 
alone  prevented,  of  inftituting  various  femi- 
naries  for  the  cultivation  of  the  Latin  and 
German  languages-  In  a  word,  he  may 
fairly  be  efteemed  one  of  thofe  fovereigns, 
who  have  contributed  to  improve  and  civi- 
life  their  fubjefts. 

Ivan  Vaffilievitch  IL  died  in  1584,  in  an 
agpny  of  grief  at  the  death  of  his  eldeft  fon 
Ivan,  wliofe  remains  are  placed  contiguous 
to  thofe  of  his  father.  Hiflorians  have  re- 
corded, that  this  prince  received  his  death, 
from  the  perfon  to  whom  he  was  indebted 
for  his  life,  by  an  unfortunate  blow  upon  his 
temple.  The  enemies  of  the  tzar  have  not 
failed  to  impute  this  melancholy  cataftrophe 
to  defign-  while  his  apologifts  have  no  lefs 
ftrenuoufly  laboured  to  reprefent  it  as  merely 
accidental.  Upon  weighing  thefe  difcordant 
accounts  with  impartiality;  it  appears,  that 
the  blow  was  either  cafual,  or,  if  deligned 
to  chaftifc,  certainly  not  intended  to  be  fetal; 

Feodqr,  the  fecond  fon  and  fucceffor  of 
Ivan  Vafliliey itch  II •  is  interred  in  the.  fame 

chapel } 


C.  3*  MOSCOW.  4^ 

chapel ;  a  prince  of  fuch  weak  intelleds  and 
notorious  incapacity,  as  to  be  a  mere  phantom 
of  fovereignty,  and  entirely  under  the  dired:ion 
of  his  brother-in-law  Boris  Godunof.  Feodor 
afcended  the  throne  in  1584,  and  expired  in 
1598  :  in  him  6nded  the  male  line  of  the  fo- 
vereigns  of  the  houfe  of  Ruric*,  a  family 
who  had  reigned  over  Ruflia  for  a  period  of 
more  than  feven  centuries. 

Among  the  tombs  in  this  church,  the  moft 
remarkable  is  that  which  contains  the  body 
of  a  child,  fuppofed  by  the  Ruffians  to  have 
been  the  third  fon  of  Ivan  Vaffilievitch  II. 
who  is  faid  to  have  been  aflaffinated  at  Vglitz, 
in  the  ninth  year  of  his  age,  by  order  of  Boris 
Godunof.  This  tomb,  which  is  more  diftin- 
guifhed  than  thofe  of  the  Ruffian  fovereigns, 
is  of  brafs  and  highly  ornamented.  The 
.child  is  clafled  among  the  faints  of  the  Ruf- 
fian calendar ;  and,  accorcjing  to  the  legends 
of  the  church,  his  body  is  faid  to  have  per- 
formed miracles,  and  is  believed  by  the  cre- 
dulous to  remain  uncorrupted.  The  top  of 
the  fepulchre  is  frequently  uncovered,  and, 
during  divine  fervice  on  the  feftival  of  St. 
Alexander  Nevfki,  I  obferved  feveral  Ruffians 

♦  Unkfs  Demetrius  was  die  real  fon  of  Ivan  Vaffi- 
Jicvitch  II. 

.        C  4  kifCmg 


24  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  3. 

kiffing  the  infide  with  great  marks  of  devo- 
tion. The  hiftory  of  the  afFaflination  at 
Vglitz,  and  the  adventures  of  the  real  or 
pretended  Demetrius,  who  filled  the  throne 
for  a  fhort  tim?,  require  a  feparate  narra- 
tive. 

The  fovereigns  of  the  houfe  of  Romanof 
are  interred  in  the  body  of  the  church :  their 
tombs  are  placed  on  each  fide  between  the 
mafly  pillars,  which  fupport  the  roof. 

The  firft  of  this  illuflrious  line  is  Michael 
F.eodoroyitch ;  whofe  eledtion  in  1 6 1 3  put  a 
final  period  to  a  long  fcene  of  civil  bloodfhed, 
and  reftored  tranquillity  to  his  diftradted  coun- 
try. He  owed  his  elevation  to  his  high  rank 
and  princely  defcentj  but  more  particularly 
to  the  virtues,  abilities,  and  popularity  of 
his  father  Philaretes.  A  body  of  Ruflian 
nobles  having  tendered  the  crown  to  Ladiflaus 
prince  of  Poland ;  that  prince  had  ad:ually 
aiTumed  the  title  of  tzar,  and  eftablifhed  a 
garrifon  at  Mofcow :  foon  afterwards  a  power- 
ful party,  averfe  to  the  government  pf  a 
foreigner,  expelled  the  Poles  from  the  capital ; 
and  unanimoufly  advanced  Michael  to  the 
throne,  though  at  that  time  fcarcely  feven- 
teen  years  of  age.  It  is  fingular,  that  he 
was  raifed  to  this  high  fi:ation,  not  only  with- 
out his  knowledge,  but  even  in  repugnance 

to 


f 


e.  3.  M  o  s  c  o  w,  25 

to  his  own  inclihation.  When  the  depu- 
ties from  Mofcow  arrived  at  Coftroma,  where 
he  at  that  time  refided  with  his  mother,  and 
acquainted  him  with  his  election;  Michael, 
recolleiSing  the  dreadful  cataftrophes  which 
had  befallen  all  the  tzars  fince  the  demife  of 
Feodor  Ivanovitch,  and  reflecting  on  the  pre- 
fent  diftradted  ftate  of  Ruflia,  burft  into  tears  > 
and  declined  a  crown,  which  feemed  to  entail 
deftrudtion  upon  thofe  who  had  ventured  to 
wear  it  *.  Overcome,  however,  by  the  im- 
portunities of  the  deputies,  and  partly  dazzled 
with  the  fplendour  of  royalty,  Michael  at 
length  yielded  to  the  wifhes  of  his  country ; 
and  repairing  without  delay  to  Mofcow,  was 
crowned  with  the  ufual  folemnities.  Though 
he  afcended  the  throne  with  reluctance,  he 
filled  it  with  dignity  :  and  found  a  protection 
from  thofe  difafters  which  overwhelmed  his 
immediate  predeceflbrs,  in  his  own  difcretion, 
in  the  wife  counfels  qf  his  father,  and  in  the 
affedtion  of  his  fubjeCls.  Michael  died  in 
1648,  after  a  profperous  reign  of  28  years. 

Alexey  Michaelovitch  his  fon,  whofe  afhes 
lie  contiguous  to  his  remains,  is  chiefly  known 
by  foreigners  as  the  father  of  Peter  the  Great ; 
but  he  deferves  likewife  our  attention  for  his 

♦  See  Bufching*s  Account  of  the  Ele<JKQn  of  Michacl# 
Hift.  M,  II.  p.  403. 

own 


^6  TRAyELS    INTO    RITSSIA,        B.J* 

own  public  virtues,  and  foor  a  variety  of  ialuf- 
tary  inilitutions.  He  revifed,  anaended,  and 
new-modelled  the  code  of  law5  compiled  by 
Ivan  Vaffilievitch  II. ;  he  introduced  a  more 
regular  difciplinc  into  the  army;  and  in- 
vited *  foreign  officers  into  his  fervice ;  Jie 
procuredfrom  Amftcrdamfeveral  fhip-builders^ 
whom  he  employed,  in  conftrufting  veflels  for 
the  navigation  of  the  Cafpian  Sea  :  in  a  word, 
he  traced  the  great  outlines  of  many  of  thofc 
regulations,  which  were  afterwards  improved 
and  enlarged  by  the  vaft  genius  of  Jhis  fon 
Peter  the  Great.  Alexey  deceafed  in  1 676, 
in  the  3 2d  year  of  his  reign,  and  the  49th  df 
his  age. 

Oppofite  to  the  fepulchre  of  Alexey  arc 
thofe  of  his  fons  Feodor  and  Ivan :  Feodor, 
who  fucceeded  his  father  in  the  throne,  has 
been  defcribed  by  Voltaire  and  others  as  a 
|)rince  who  poffefled  a  vigorous  mind  in  a 
•weak  frame ;  and  whofe  adminiftration  v/zs 
4iignified  with  *many  ufeful  and  glorious  re- 
gulations. The  truth  is,  that  incapacity,  no 
lefs  than  ill-Jaealth,  difqualified  him  from 
condu(5ling  the  affairs  of  government;  that 

*  Mayerb^rg  lays,  among  the  foreign  officers  in  the 
fervice  of  Alexey  Michaelovitch,  were  two  generals,  two 
feld  marflials,  more  than  an  hundred  colonels,  majorS| 
captains,  lieutenants,  and  enfigns  in  proportipn» 

he 


r 


C.  3.  M   O  15    C    O   W*  27 

he  adually  refigned  himfelf  to  the  dire(9iDn 
of  his  filler  Sophia;  and  that  all  the  bene- 
ficial a<fts  of  his  adminijftration  muft  be 
alcribed  to  ho*  influence,  and  to  the  abilities 
of  his  prime  minifter  the  great  Gahtzin. 
Feodor,  after  a  fhort  reign  of  fix  years,  fiinfc 
in  1682  under  the  diforders  which  had  long 
preyed  upon  his  frame. 

Ivan,  fecond  brother  of  Feodor,  and  right- 
ful heir  of  the  throne,  was  fo  debiUtated  by 
epileptic  fits,  both  in  body  and  mind  *,  that 
he  was  at  firft  excluded  from  the  fucceffion 
as  incapable  of  difcharging  the  functions  of 
government ;  but  being  afterwards  recognized 
as  joint-ibvereign  with  his  half-brother  Peter 
the  Gieat,  he  was  confidered  merely  as  a 
puppet,  held  up  to  fatisfy  the  multitude, 
and  to  fecure  to  his  adherents   a   fhare  in 

^  Schleiffing,  who  was  at  Mofccny  during  the  admi- 
nlftration  of  Sophia,  thus  defcribes  die  perfon  of  Ivan. 
*'  Ivan  Alexey,  the  eldeft  tzar,  is  ill-formed  by  natur^ 
^  infomuch  that  he  can  neither  rightly  fee,  read,  or  fpeak. 
*^  He  always  wears  a  piece  of  green  filk  before  his  eyes,  in 
^*  order  to  prevent  the  upper  part  of  his  fece  from  bein^ 
"  k^n  on  account  of  its  deformity.  But  he  is  very  pious 
"  and  devout ;  and  as,  on  account  of  his  weak  conftitu- 
"  tion,  he  cannot  hunt,  or  take  any  violent  exercife,  he  is 
**  the  more  conftant  in  his  attendance  at  church,  and  never 
"  mifles  a  proceffion.  He  is  fhort  in  his  perfon,  very  thin, 
f*  and  is  now  30  years  of  age,'* 

the 


2^  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  3, 

the  adminiftration  of  affairs.  He  was  aJU 
lowed  to  continue  this  ftate-pageant  during 
the  remainder  of  his  life;  and  his  death, 
which  happened  in  1698,  was  fcarcely  per- 
ceived by  his  fubjedls,  and  not  known  to  the 
reft  of  Europe,  except  by  the  omiffion  of 
his  name  in  the  public  a6ts. 

The  fovereigns  fubfequent  to  Ivan  are  in- 
terred at  Pcterfburgh,  excepting  Peter  II. 
whofe  afhes  repofe  in  this  cathedral.  This 
monarch,  the  fon  of  the  unfortunate  Tzaro- 
vitch  Alexey,  was  born  in  171 5,  fucceeded 
in  1727  Catharine  I.  and  died  in  1730  of 
the  fmall-pox  in  this  city,  on  the  very  day 
which  had  been  appointed  for  his  marriage 
with  the  princefs  Dolgorucki.  His  death 
was  occafioned  by  the  ignorance  of  the  phyfi- 
cians,  who  treated  his  diforder  as  a  malig- 
nant fever.  Peter  II.  acquired  great  popu- 
larity by  fixing,  during  the  latter  part  of  his 
fliort  reign,  his  imperial  refidence  at  Mofcow. 
He  was  regretted  as  the  grandfon  of  Peter  the 
Great,  and  as  the  perfon  in  whom  the  male 
line  of  the  houfe  of  Romanof  became  ex- 
tindt. 


CHAP. 


Sovereigns    of   Moscow 


I*  Dakiil  fon  of  Alexander  Ncvfld,   firft 
duke  of  Mofcow.  died  about  i-zo^* 

' — , 

2.  I^ANy  fourth  fon  of  D 

I 


mtmm^m 


3«  SiMSON  IvAKOviTCHy  died  about  i353« 


IvAMi  died  before  his  father* 

I 


DmitrIj  died  in  pri(pn« 


8.  Iv 


It  AN,  died  before  his  father* 


II.  Fbodor,  15575  died  159 


Tzars  of  diifc 


y«  Boris  GoDUKor,elcftcd Tzar  159S;  died  in  1605. 
Hii  fon  Feodor,  proclaimed  Tzar  in  April  by  his  father's 

party,  and  put  to  death  in  June>  caa  fcsqrc^y  be  claiTed 

*toong  the  Ruffian  fovcrcigns. 

Vol.  II. 


Dmitri,  orDsMZTRivs, 
Ruffians  5  by  others  callec 
vitch  II.  afcended  the  thrc 
aatcd  May^  i6o6« 


»F. 


II.  Alex 


riikm* 


lit.  FeODOB  ALSZIEVXTCHybOi 

/  1651 }  died  i68i« 


Catrakins  Ivanofma,  died  i^ 
married  Charles  Leopold  duki 
Mecklenburgh. 


R  THE  GRZAT9  ^y  Natalia,  bora 
, ;  died  1725  :  married,  i.  Eudokii 
ukin ; 

ARiVE,  who  was  bom  about  X6S9; 
nprefs  1725  j  died  1727. 

— ^  


I  tTROFNA)    by 

^  ,  tie,  born  1707; 

I      r305     married 

A  B        -u   /.'n    Frederick  duke 

Vl»«,  Regent  of  Ruf^i^  q^^ 

died  m  pnfon    at  .  '^ 

1746;  married  Ant] 

brother  to  the  duke  1 

wick*    Anthony  die  | 


IX*  ElizabitH) 
by  Catliarincy 
bo.  1 709}  Em- 
prefs  1741}  <!• 
X76i« 


^ETBR  III.  bom  172S  ;  Emperor  1761; 
.  dcpoied     and    died    1762 ;    married 
rATHARiKB  II.   princefs  of  Anhalt- 
trttr    T^         «.   Zerbzt    the   prefeat  Emprefs.   bom 

pcror  1     '•  ' 


Schluflij 


fROTXTCK,  bora  1754;  married 
ilia  princefs  of  Hefle-Darm- 
fc.  Maria  princefs  of  Wurten- 
lugard. 


\ 


CoNSTANTiKB>  bom  I779* 


CHAP. 


c.  4«  MOSCOW.  29 

C  H  A  p.     IV. 

Cathedral  of  the  AJfumption  of  the  Virgin  Mary 
in  the  Kremlin, — Tombs  of  the  Ruffian  fa-^ 
triarchs. — Origin  and  abolition  of  the  patri-- 
archal  dignity  .—^Account  of  the  patriarchal 
Philaretes  father  of  the  houfe  of  Romanof. 
^^^  Biographical  anecdotes  of  the  patriarch 
Nicon, 

THE  cathedral  of  the  Aflumption  of 
the  Virgin  Mary,  which  has  long 
been  appropriated  to  the  coronation  of  the 
Ruffian  fovereigns,  is  another  church  in  the 
Kremlin,  that  remains  to  be  defcribed.  This 
tempk  is  the  moft  fplendid  and  magnificent 
in  Mofcow.  The  fkreen  is  in  many  parts 
covered  with  plates  of  folid  filver  and  gold 
richly  worked.  From  the  centre  of  the 
roof  hangs  an  enormous  chandelier  of  mafly 
filver,  weighing  2940  pounds :  it  was  made 
in  England,  and  was  a  prefent  from  Moro- 
fof,  prime-minifter  and  favourite  of  Alexey 
Michaelovitch.  The  facred  utenfils  and  epif* 
copal  veftments  are  extraordinarily  rich ;  but 
the  tafte  of  the  workmanfhip  is  in  general 
rude,  and  by  no  means  equal  to  the  ma^ 
terials. 

Many 


3a  TRAVELS    INTO  RUSSIA*        B.  3* 

Many  of  the  figures  which  cover  the  in- 
fide  walls  are  of  a  Coloflal  fize :  fome  are 
very  antient,  and  were  executed  fo  early  as 
in  the  latter  end  of  the  fifteenth  century. 
This  church  contains,  amongft  the  reft,  a 
head  of  the  Virgin,  fuppofed  to  have  been 
painted  by  St.  Luke,  and  greatly  celebrated 
in  this  country  for  its  fanflity  and  the  power 
of  working  miracles.  The  face  is  almoft 
black ;  the  head  is  ornamented  with  a  glory 
of  precious  ftones ;  and  the  hands  and  body 
are  gilded,  which  gives  it  a  moft  grotefque 
appearance.  It  is  placed  in  the  fkreen,  and 
cnclofed  within  a  large  filver  covering,  which 
is  never  taken  o£F  but  on  great  feftivals,  or 
for  the  curiofity  of  ftrangers.  This  Madonna 
is  more  antient  than  the  other  paintings : 
according  to  the  tradition  of  the  church,  it 
was  brought  from  Greece  to  Kiof  when  that 
city  was  the  refidence  of  the  Ruffian  ibve- 
reigns;  from  thence  it  was  transferred  to 
Volodimir,  and  afterwards  to  Moicow.  It 
feems  %(>  have  been  a  Grecian  painting,  and 
was  probably  anterior  to  the  revival  of  that 
art  in  Italy  *. 

-^    In 

♦  I  faw  feveral  paintings  of  the  Virgin  in  the  north  of 
Italy  finiilar  to  this :  a  few  were  faid  to  be  the  produdHons 

of 


C.  4-  MOSCOW.  31 

III  thii' cathedral  are  depofitcd  the  remains 
of  the  Ruflian^  patriarchs. 

The 

of  St.  Luke,  others  of  Cimabue,  or  his  fcholars*  The 
complexion  in  thefe  was  likewife  of  a  duflcy  hue,  and 
plainly  from  the  fency  of  the  painters.  This  leads  me 
tO"  im^ifie  that  the  Grecian  painters  originally  reprefented 
the  Virgin  of  a  dark  complexion,  which  was  copied  by  the 
earlieft  Italian  artifts,  Cimabue  and  his  immediate  fcholars, 
who  received  the  art  from  the  Greeks.  Le  Bruyn,  fpeak- 
ing  of  this  Madonna  at  Mofcow,  fays,  "  It  is  very  gloomy 
"  and  almoft  black ;  but  whether  this  proceeds  from  the 
*'  effefts  of  time,  or  the  fmoke  of  tapers,  or  the  fancy  of 
"  the  painter;  certain  it  is,  there  is  no  great  matter  in  it.'* 
&c.  Travels,  vol.  I.  p.  70.  An  ingenious  author,  in 
a  late  publication,  mentions  in  the  monaftery  of  Monte- 
Virgine,  a  Coloflal  portrait  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  which 
pafles  for  the  work  of  St.  Luke  the  Evangelift,  and  adds, 
^*  There  are  in  Italy  and  elfe where  fome  dozens  of  black, 
<^  ugly  Madonnas,  which  all  pafs  for  the  work  of  his  hands, 
**  and  as  fuch  are  revered."  To  which  paflage  he  fubjoins 
the  following  note,  but  without  citing  his  authority  t 
*  The  origin  of  this  fable,  or  rather  miftake,  appears  to 
*'  be,  that  about  the  time  that  paintings  of  holy  fubjefts 
*^  came  into  fafliion,  there  lived  at  Conftantinople  a  painter 
•*  called  Luke,  who,  by  many  reprefentations  of  the  Virgin, 
"  acquired  a  very  tranfcendent  reputation.  He  was  a 
**  man  of  exemplary  life,  and  on  account  of  his  piety,  and 
"  the  edifying  ufe  he  made  of  his  talents,  was  generally 
"  known  by  the  name  of  the  Holy  Luke.  In  procefe 
"  of  time,  when  the  epocha  and  circumftances  of  his  life 
**  were  forgotten  by  the  vulgar,  and  his  performances  had 
"  acquired  by  age  a  finoky,  dulky  caft,  fufficient  to  perplex 

«the 


f 
^ 


32  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  3." 

The  firft  of  thefe  was  Job,  before  whofe 
time  the  primate  of  the  Ruffian  church  was 
fuffragan  to  the  patriarch  of  Conftantinople. 
Job,  being  metropolitan  archbifliop  of  Mof- 
cow,  was,  in  the  year  1588,  inftalled  in  this 
cathedral  patriarch  of  Ruffia,  by  Jeremias  pa- 
triarch of  Conftantinople,  with  all  due  £0^ 
lemnities.  The  ceremony  of  tranflating  the 
fee  from  the  capital  of  Turkey  to  this  city 
is  thus  defcribed  by  an  author,  who  was  him^ 
felf  prefent  *  • 

''On 

*^  the  fliort-fighted  connoifleurs  of  thofe  days,  devotees 
*•  afcnbed  his  pictures  to  the  Evangelift,  who  was  pro- 
*^  nounced  a  painter,  becaufe  they  knew  of  no  other  faint 
^  of  the  name,  and  becaufe  if  he  had  been  a  painter,  no 
^  one  could  have  had  fuch  opportunities  of  examining  and 
^  delineating  the  features  of  the  holy  model."  Swinburne's 
Travels  in  the  Two  Sicilies,  p.  123.  For  proof  of  the 
introdudlion  of  painting  into  RuiSa  and  Italy  by  the  Greeks, 
fee  the  Defcription  of  the  Cathedral  of  St.  Sophia  at  No- 
vogorod. 

♦  Fletcher's  Ruffia,  Chap.  ai.  This  author  adds, 
that  Jeremias,  whom  he  calls  Hieronimo,  had  been  either 
banifhed  from  Conftantinople  by  the  Turks,  or  depofed  by 
the  Greek  clergy ;  that  he  came  to  Mofcow  without  any 
invitation  from  the  Ruffians,  in  order  to  obtain  money 
from  the  tzar  Feodor  Ivanovitch ;  and  that  with  this  view 
he  propofed  the  tranflation  of  the  patriarchal  fee  from  Con- 
ftantinople to  Mofcow. 

Others 


c.  4.  MOSCOW,  33 

*'  On  the  25th  of  January,  1588,  the 
Greek  patriarch,  accompanied  with  the 
Rufle  cleargie,  went  to  the  great  church 
'*  of  Prechefte,'  or  our  Ladie,  within  the 
Emperour's  caftle,  where  he  made  an  ora- 
tion, and  delivered  his  refignation  in  an 
**  inftrument  of  writing,  and  fb  laid  down 
*^  his  patriarchal  ftaiFe  ^  which  was  prefently 
**  received  by  the  metropolite  of  Moiko,  and 
**  divers  other  ceremonies  ufed  about  the 
**  inauguration  of  the  new  patriarch." 

The  moft  venerable  of  Job's  fucceflbrs  in 
the  patriarchal  fee  was  Philaretes,  who,  though 
no  fovereign  himfelf,  is  celebrated  as  being  the 
founder  of  that  line  of  Ruffian  monarchs, 
diftinguifhqd  by  the  name  of  the  Houfe  of 
Romanof  *.     His  fecular  name  was  Feodor : 

Others  deny  that  he  was  either  depofed  or  banifhed; 
and  relate,  that  the  tzar  having  formally  demanded  the 
confent  of  the  four  patriarchs  of  Alexandria,  Antioch,  Con- 
ftantinople,  and  Jerufalem,  to  the  eftablifliment  of  a  new 
patriarch  in  Ruffia,  they  acceded  to  the  requeft,  and  fo- 
lemnly  deputed  Jeremias  to  Mofcow,  who  invefted  the  me- 
tropolitan Job  with  the  new  dignity.  King  on  the  Greek 
Church,  p.  496. 

♦  In  confequence  of  a  cuftom  prevalent  among  the 
Ruffians  to  adopt  the  appellation  of  the  grandfather  for  a, 
family  name,  the  new  royal  line  was  called  Romanof,  in 
honour  of  Roman,  Feodor's  grandfather. 

Vol,  II.  D  he 


34  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  g* 

he  drew  his  lineage  from  Andrew,  a  Pruffian 
prince,    who   came   into   Ruflia   about    the 
middle  of  the  fourteenth  century ;  and  whofe 
immediate    defcendants    enjoyed     the    moft 
coniiderablip  honours  and  the  higheft  offices 
under  the  fovereigns  of  this  country.    Feodor 
was  fon  of  Nikita  Romanovitch,  great  grand- 
fon  of  Andrew,   and   nephew   of  Anaftafia 
firft  wife  of  Ivan  Vaffilievitch  II.     By  the 
will  of  that  monarch  he  was,  in  conjunc- 
tion with   two  other  noblemen,    appointed 
to  fuperintend  the  adminiftration  of  govern- 
ment  under   Feodor   Ivanovitch,    who  was 
extremely  deficient    in    his    underftanding ; 
but  fupplanted  by   the  arts  of  Boris   Go- 
dunof,  whofe  fifter  had  efpoufed  the  young 
tzar,  he  wa«  excluded  from  all  fliare  in  the 
diredlion  of  affairs  during   the  whole  reign 
of  that  weak  prince.     When  Boris  himfelf 
was  elevated  to  the  throne;  the  high  birth, 
great  abilities,  and  popularity  of  Feodor  Ro- 
manof  rendered    him   fo  obnoxious   to   the 
new   monarch,    that   he  was   compelled   to 
aflume  the  priefthood,  and  was  confined  in 
a  monaftery ;   upon  which  occafion  he,  ac- 
cording to  the  Ruffian  cuftom,  changed  his 

name  to  Philaretes.  ^ 

3  Upon 


c*  4«  M  o  s  c  a  w»  35 

Upon  the  acceflion>  m  1 605,  of  the  fovereign 
whom  the  Ruffians  call  the  Falfe  Demetrius, 
^e  was  releafed  from  his  confinement,  and 
appointed  to  the  archbifhoprick  of  Roftpf ; 
but  in  this  perio4  of  his  life  he  feemed  doom- 
ed to  a  fycjceffion  of  imprisonments.  Soon 
after  the  deppfition  of  Vaffili  Shuifki,  when 
a  flrong  party  among  the  nobles  had  agreed 
to  ele<a  Ladiflau?,  fon  of  Sigifmond  ill.  king 
of  Poland,  tzar  of  Ruffia;  Philarefes  was, 
in  16 10,  difp^ched  at  the  head  of  an  em- 
baffy  to  Sigif0xond,'iA  order  to  fettle  the  con- 
ditions of  his  fon's  ^e^ilioii.  He  found  the 
Polifh  njonarch  w^ged  in  the  fiege  of  Smo- 
lenflco;  md  when  the  king  d^^^nded  the 
imn^iate  cefljpij  of  that  town,  Philarete? 
M^armly  re$urn^,  ^^  Whpn  ypur  fpn  hjis  af.- 
*^  cended  oi^r  throne,  )ie  will  poffefs  not  only 
•♦  Smipjefjikp,  h^t  all  Rwffia  5  ^nd  it  ill  bc«- 
*Vcopafis  ypw  tp  diikj^mber  his  Jerritpries/* 
gigifiiopijd,  ^afperaJe^  af  this  fpirited  reply, 
aflii  ftiW  farther  ii[ifljmi^d^>y  the  regKHjftranccs 
larhioh  Phil^xetes  ?^  *he  embafladprs  vrgc4 
aggiiaft  his  Qo^ds^  towards  Ruffia,  arrefte4 
and  itjgtrew  Ithein  into  prifon.  Philaretes  lan-^ 
guifhed  nine  years  in  the  cafile  of  Marien- 
burgh*,  in  Tm^^  under  a  moft  rigorous 

f  ♦  Bufcjuag.  Hift.  ^lag.  v.  II.  p.  403. 

D  2  confino« 


36  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.         B.  3. 

confinement,  during  which  even  many  of 
the  common  neceffaries  were  frequently  with- 
held from  him.  His  abfence,  however,  did- 
not  diminifli  the  refpedt  and  veneration  which 
the  Ruffians  entertained  for  his  character : 
the  whole  nation  unanimoufly  conferred  the 
crown  upon  his  fon  Michael,  a  youth  only 
in  the  fcventeenth  year  of  his  age ;  in  hopes 
that  a  peace  with  Poland  would  reftore  Phi- 
laretes  to  his  country,  and  render  him  the 
director  of  that  power  with  which  they  had 
inverted  his  fon.  This  expedlation  was  gra- 
tified at  the  peace  of  Viafma,  concluded  in 
1619,  between  Ruffia  and  Poland,  which  gave 
Philaretes  to  the  wifhes  of  the  people.  Im- 
mediately upon  his  arrival  at  Mofcow  he 
\vas  confecrated  patriarch,  and  became  the 
real,  though  not  the  oftenfible,  fovereign  of 
this  country ;  as  his  ion  may  be  faid  to  have 
held  the  reins  of  government  under  his  ab- 
folute  diredtion.  He  was  invefted  with  the 
adminiftration  of  afFaifs  ;  his  name  was  fre- 
quently aflbciated  in  the  public  aAs  with  that 
of  the  tzar  * ;  he  gave  audience  to  embafla- 
dors  -f* ;  and  upon  many  public  occafions  was 

*  Schmid.'  Ruff*  Gef.  v.  IL  p.  13. 

t  Bufching,  Hift.  Mag.  v.  VII,  p.  329. 

permitted 


c.  4*  MOSCOW.  37 

permitted  to  take  precedence  of  his  fon*. 
His  experience,  moderation,  and  abilities,  ren- 
dered him  worthy  of  thefe  high  honours,  and 
this  unbounded  authority ;  and  the  profperity 
of  Michael's  reign  proclaimed  the  wifdom  of 
his  fage  monitor.  Philaretes  died  in  1633, 
in  an  advanced  age,  regretted  by  his  fon  and 
the  whole  kingdom. 

.  The  laft  of  thefe  patriarchs  was  Adrian,  at 
whofe  demife,  in  1699,  Peter,  attentive  to 
the  true  interefts  of  his  crown,  could  never 
be  prevailed  upon  to  nominate  a  fuccefTor; 
and  in  1721  the  patriarchal  dignity  was  for- 
mally abolifhed. 

In  a  former  chapter  I  obferved,  that  there 
are  no  feats  in  the  Ruffian  churches,  the  cere- 
monial of  the  Greek  worlhip  requiring  all 
perfons  to  ftand  during  the  performance  of 
divine  fervice.  In  this  cathedral,  facred  to 
the  Affiimption  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  I  ob- 
ferved two  elevated  places  near  the  fkreen, 
enclofed  with  rails  without  feats  :  one  of 
them  is.  appropriated  to  the  fovereign;  the 
other  was  formerly  deftined  for  the  patriarch, 
whofe  ftate  and  grandeur  were  in  fome  in- 
ftances  not  inferior  to  thofe  of  the  tzar  hira- 

♦  Olcarius. 

;  D  3  mr. 


38  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B*  3. 

felf.  Upon  fome  public  occafion  the  arch- 
bifhop  of  Novogorod,  who  afpired  to  have 
the  patriarchal  dignity  revived  in  his  perfon, 
pointing  to  the  place  formerly  occupied  by 
the  patriarch,  remarked  to  Peter,  ^*  Sire,  that 
*^  ftrudture  is^  now  ufelefs ;  will  not  your 
*^  majefty  order  it  to  be  removed  ?"  Peter 
was  filent ;  but,  upon  the  archbifhop's  repeat- 
ing the  queftion,  turned  to  him  and  faid, 
"  That  place  fhall  not  be  removed,  nor  fhall 
''  you  fill  it." 

The  Ruflians  reckon  eleven  patriarchs  from 
the  firf^  eftabliftiment  of  the  dignity  in  the 
perfon  of  Job,  to  its  final  abolition  after  the 
death  of  Adrian.  Of  thefe  the  greateft  and 
moft  confpicuous  was  the  celebrated  Nicon ; 
whom,  as  he  is  the  only  patriarch  not  inter- 
fed  in  this  cathedral,  I  could  not  mention 
upon  contemplating  their  tombs.  It  is  hoped 
that  no  apology  needs  be  offered  for  the  fol- 
lowing account  of  a  man,  whom  fome  Ruf-* 
fians  ftill  abhor  as  Antichrift,  and  others  adore 
as  a  faint ;  and  whofe  extraordinary  charadier 
has  never^een  faithfully  reprefented  to  the 
Englilh  reader. 

Nicon  was  bpfn  in  161 3,  in  a  village  of 
the  gpvernment  of  Niihnei  Noyogorod,  of  fuch 
pbfcure  parents,  that  their  names  and  ftation 

are 


c.  4*  MOSCOW.  39 

are  not  tranfmitted  to  pofterity  •  He  received,  at 
the  baptifmal  font,  the  name  of  Nikita,  which 
afterwards,  when  he  became  monk,  he  chang- 
ed to  Nicon ;  the  appellation  by  which  he 
is  more  generally  known.  He  was  educated 
in  the  convent  of  St.  Macarius,  under  the 
care  of  a  monk.  From  the  courfe  of  his 
ftudies,  which  were  almoft  folely  dired:ed  to 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  the  exhortations  of 
his  preceptor,  he  imbibed  at  a  very  early  pe- 
riod, the  ftrongeft  attachment  to  a  monaftic 
life ;  and  was  only  prevented  from  following 
the  bent  of  his  mind  by  the  perfuafions  and 
authority  of  his  father.  In  conformity,  how- 
ever, to  the  wifhes  of  his  family,  though  con- 
trary to  his  own  inclination,  he  entered  into 
matrimony ;  and^  as  that  ftate  precluded  him 
from  being  admitted  into  a  convent,  he  was 
ordained  a  fecular  prieft. 

With  his  wife  he  pafled  ten  years ;  firft  as 
a  parifh-prieft  in  fome  country  village,  and 
afterwards  at  Mofcow  in  the  fame  capacity ; 
but  lofing  three  children,  whom  he  tenderly 
loved,  his  difguft  for  the  world  and  his  pro- 
penfity  to  folitude  returned  with  redoubled 
violence ;  and,  having  perfuaded  his  wife  to 
take  the  veil,  he  entered  into  the  monaftick 
order.     He  chofe  for  his  own  retreat  a  fmall 

D  4  ifland 


40  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.  B.  3. 

ifland  of  the  White- Sea,  inhabited  only  by  a 
few  perfons,  who  formed  a  kind  of  ecclefiaf- 
tical   eftablifhment,    as    remarkable   for   the 
aufterity  of  their  rules  as  for  the  folitude  of 
their  fituation :  about  twelve  monks  dwelled 
in  feparate  cells,  equally  diftant  from  each 
other  *  and  from  the  church  which  flood  in 
the  center  of  the  ifland.    Thefe  lonely  ancho- 
rites aflembled  regularly  on  Saturday  evening 
in  the  church,  where  they  affifled  in  the  per- 
formance of  divine  fervice  during  the  whole 
night,  and  the  next  day  until  noon,   when 
they   retired   to  their  refpedtive  habitations. 
This  pradtice  was  repeated  on  certain  fefti- 
vals ;  at  other   times  each  reclufe  occupied 
his  cell  undifturbed  by  any  mutual  intercourfe. 
Their  food  was  bread,  and  fifh  which  they 
caught   themfelves,   or  procured   from  parts 
of  the  contiguous  continent.     Such  was  the 
Situation  to  which  Nicon  retired,  as  congenial 
to  the  gloomy  ftate  of  his  own  mind  ;  where, 
brooding  in  folitude  upon  the  uncertainty  of 
human  life,  he  was  unhappily  led  to  confider 
the  moft  debafing  aufterities  as  acceptable  to 
the  Supreme  Being  ;  and  neceflarily  contrad:- 
led  that  cloiftered  pride,  which  gave  an  alloy 

*  Two  verfts,  or  a  mile  and  a  half. 

to 


c.  4*  MOSCOW.  41 

to  his  fublimc  virtues,  and  proved  the  greateft 
defed  in  his  character,  when  he  was  after- 
wards  called  upon  to  fulfil  the  duties  of  a 
public  and  exalted  ftation. 

After  a  fhort  refidence  in  this  ifland,  Nicon 
was  chofen  to  accompany  the  chief  of  the  ec- 
clefiaftical  eftablifhment  to  Mofcow,  in  order 
to  raife  a  collection  for  the  building  of  a  new 
church.  He  was  fcarcely  returned  from  this 
expedition,  when,  at  the  inftigation  of  the 
chief,  whom  he  had  offended  during  his 
journey,  he  was  compelled  by  the  other  monks 
to  retire  from  the  ifland.  He  embarked  in  an 
open  boat,  with  only  a  (ingle  perfbn  to  afliil 
him,  in  an  high  fea :  being  overtaken  by  a 
violent  ftorm,  he  was  tolled  about  and  in 
continual  danger  of  perifliing;  but  was  at 
length  driven  upon  an  ifland  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Onega. 

From  this  ifland  he  repaired  to  a  monaftery 
upon  the  contiguous  continent;  and  being 
admitted  into  the  fociety,  inftead  of  inhabit- 
ing an  apartment  in  the  convent,  he,  in  imi- 
tation of  his  former  folitude,  confl:rud:ed  a 
feparate  cell  on  an  adjacent  ifland;  where 
he  lived  upon  the  fifli  that  he  caught  with 
his  own  hands,  and  never  vifited  the  monaf- 
tery but  during  the  time  of  divine  fervice. 


42  TRATELS    INTO    RUSSIA.         B.J* 

By  this  reclufe  and  rigid  way  of  life  he  wz$ 
held  in  fuch  high  eftecm  by  the  brethren^ 
that  upon  the  death  of  their  fupcrior  they 
unanimoufly  raifed  him  to  the  vacant  dignity. 
He  continued  in  this  capacity  for  three  years^ 
when,  being  drawn  by  fomc  family  affairs  to 
Mofcow,  he  was  cafually  prefented  to  the 
tzar  Alcxcy  Michaelovitch ;  who  was  fo  cap* 
tivated  with  his  various  talents^  extenfive 
learning,  and  natural  eloquence,  as  to  detain 
him  at  Mofcow,  and  to  take  him  under  his 
immediate  prote<3:ion.  Within  Icfs  than  five 
years  he  was  fucccfllvely  created  archimandrite 
or  abbot  of  the  Novofpatlkoi  convent ;  arch- 
bifhop  of  Novogorod  j  and  patriarch  of  Ruf- 
fia.  He  deferved  thefe  rapid  promotions  by 
a  rare  aflemblage  of  extraordinary  qualities, 
which  even  his  enemies  allow  him  to  have 
poffefled;  undaunted  courage,  irreproachable 
morals,  exalted  charity,  comprehcnfive  learn- 
ing, and  commanding  eloquence. 

While  archbifhop  of  Novogorod,  to  which 
dignity  he  was  raifed  in  1 649,  he  gave  a  me- 
morable inilance  of  his  firmnejfe  and  difcre- 
tion.  During  a  tumult  in  that  city,  the  Im- 
jperial  governor,  prince  Fcodor  Kilkof,  took 
rduge  in  the  arcbiepifcopal  palace  againft  the 
fury  of  the  infurgents  >  who,  burfting  open 

the 


r" 


c.  4.  MOSCOW.  4j 

the  gates,  threatened  inftant  pillage  If  the 
governor  was  not  delivered  to  them  without 
dejay.  Nicon,  inftead  of  acceding  to  their 
demand,  boldly  advanced  into  the  midft  ctf 
them,  and  exhorted  them  to  peace.  The 
populace,  inflamed  to  madnefs  by  the  pre* 
late*s  appearance,  transferred  their  rage  From 
the  governor  to  him;  alTaulted  him  with 
ftones ;  dragged  him  by  the  hair ;  and  offered 
every  fpecies  of  violence  and  indignity  to  his 
perfon*  Being  conveyed  to  the  palace  in  a 
ftate  of  infenlibility,  he  was  recovered  by 
immediate  affiftance;  but,  regardlefs  of  the 
imminent  danger  from  which  he  had  juft 
efcaped,  he  perfifted  in  his  refolution,  either 
to  appeafe  the  tumult,  or  perifh  in  the  at- 
tempt. With  this  defign,  as  if  devoting 
himfelf  to  certain  death,  he  confefTed  and  re- 
ceived the  facrament,  and  repaired  to  the  town- 
houfe,  where  the  infurgents  were  aflembled. 
He  confounded  them  by  his  prefence  -,  fof- 
tened  them  into  repentance  by  a  firm,  but 
pathetic,  addrefs;  and,  perfuading  them  to 
difperfe,  tranquillity  was  inftantly  reftored  to 
the  town,  which  the  moment  before  had  ex- 
hibited a  fcene  of  confufion  and  uproar.  ' 
This  calm,  however,  was  of  no  long  dura- 
tion :  the  fedition,  which  had  been  thus  al- 
layed, 


44  TRAVELS    INTO     RUSSIA.      B.  3. 

layed  by  the  fpirit  and  eloquence  of  Nicon, 
being  fomented  by  the  ringleaders  of  the 
tumult,  broke  into  open  rebellion :  many  of 
the  inhabitants  renounced  their  allegiance  to 
the  tzar ;  and  propofed  to  deliver  the  town 
into  the  hands  of  the  king  of  Poland.  The 
prelate,  however,  undaunted  by  this  change  in 
their  fentiments,  did  not  difcontinue  his  efforts 
to  bring  them  back  to  their  duty  :  his  remon- 
ftrances  and  exhortations  gradually  prevailed; 
many  flocked,  to  his  palace,  defiring  his  in- 
terceflion  with  their  enraged  fovereign ;  •  and 
though  the  remainder  of  the  infurgents  block- 
ed up  all  the  avenues  to  the  town,  yet  he 
contrived,  at  the  peril  of  his  life,  to  fend 
information  to  the  tzar.  Being  armed,  by  a 
commiflion  from.  Mofcow,  with  full  powers, 
he  by  a  vigorous  exertion  of  his  authority, 
but  without  the  eifufion  of  blood,  finally 
quelled  the  rebellion.  To  him  was  commit- 
ted the  trial  of  the  rebels,  and  the  abfolute 
difpofal  pf  life  and  death ;  an  offic?  which  he 
executed  with  as  much  judgment  as  lenity. 
The  leader  of  the  fedition  was  alone  punifhed 
with  death  -,  ten  of  his  moft  mutinous  adhe- 
rents were  knooted  and  baniihed ;  and  a  few 
others  were  condemned  to  a  fhort  inprifon- 
ment.      Nicon    nobly    forgave   the    outrage 

committed 


c,4»  MOSCOW.  45 

committed  againft  his  own  perfon ;  and  in 
chaftizing  the  public  offence  tempered  the 
fe verity  of  juftice  with  the  feelings  of  hu- 
manity. 

'  He  gained  the  refpedfc  of  the  inhabitants 
by  the  unwearied  afliduity  with  which  he 
performed  the  fundtions  of  his  archiepifcopal 
office ;  and  conciliated  their  affedion  by  ad:s 
of  unbounded  charity.  He  built  and  endowed 
alms-houfes  for  widows,  old  men,  and  or- 
phans :  was  the  great  patron  of  the  indigent ; 
the  zealous  prote<3:or  of  the  lower  clafs  of 
men  againft  the  oppreffions  of  the  great; 
and  during  a  dreadful  famine,  appropriated 
the  revenues  of  his  fee  to  the  general  relief 
of  the  poor. 

He  was  no  lefs  confpicuous  in  the  vigilant 
difcharge  of  the  high  duties  of  his  patriarchal 
office,  to  which  he  was  appointed  in  1652, 
only  in  the  39th  year  of  his  age.  He  infti- 
tuted  feminaries  for  the  inftrudtion  of  priefts 
in  the  Greek  and  Latin  languages ;  he  en- 
riched the  patriarchal  library  with  many 
rare  ecclefiaftical  and  claffical  manufcripts 
drawn  from  a  convent  at  Mount  Athos.  By 
a  diligent  revifal  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and 
a  collation  of  the  various  editions  of  the  Old 
and  New  Teftament,  perceiving  that  many 

errors 


46  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.  B»  3. 

errors  had  crept  into  the  printed  copies  of 
the  Bible  and  Liturgy  ufed  for  divine  fervice ; 
he  prevailed  upon  the  tzar  to  fummon  a 
general  council  of  the  Greek  church  at  Mof- 
cow,  in  which  he  prefided.  By  his  argu- 
ments, authority,  and  influence,  it  was  deter- 
mined that  the  moft  antient  Sclavonian  verfion 
of  the  Bible  was  cxadt;  and  that  the  errors 
with  which  the  later  copies  abounded  fhould 
be  corredcd.  He  infpcdted  and  fuperintended 
the  printing  of  a  new  edition  of  the  Sclavonian 
Bible,  which  was  become  fo  rare  as  not  to  be 
purchafed  at  any  price.  He  removed  from  the 
churches  the  pidxires  of  deccafed  perfons, 
to  which  many  of  the  Ruffians  offered  the 
moft  blind  adoration;  he  aboliihed  a  few 
ceremonies  which  had  been  carried  to  a  moft 
fuperftitious  exccfs :  in  a  word,  his  labours 
tended  more  to  the  refbrnM.tion  of  the  church, 
than  the  united  eflforts  of  all  his  predeceflbrs 
in  the  patriarchal  chair. 

Nor  was  he  folely  diftinguiftied  in  his  pro- 
feilional  charai3:er;  but  proved  himfelf  no 
lefs  qualified  in  a  xivil  capacity*  Nptwith- 
ftanding  che  oourie  of  his  ftudies  had, been 
hitherto  oonfined  to  ficclefiajOtical  jfubje(3:s, 
and  the  reclufends  of  his  £»t!mar  life  ieem^ 
ed  to  impede  th?  attainn?ent  of  political 

knowledge  3 


C.  4-  MOSCOW.  dj 

knowledge ;  yet  he  was  no  fooner  calkd  to 
a  public  ftation,  than  his  abilities  expanded 
in  proportion  as  the  objedls  which  they  em- 
braced became  more  numerous  and  impor- 
tant: his  fag^city,  fliarpencd  by  continual 
application,  foori  rendered  him  mafter  of  the 
moft  intricate  affairs  \  taught  him  to  compre- 
hend and  difcriminate  a  variety  of  the  moft 
cppofite  interefts ;  and  to  adopt  that  decifive 
line  of  conduct:  which  marks  the  great  and 
enlightened  ftatefman.  Being  confulted  by 
the  tzar  upon  all  occafions,  he  foon  became 
the  foul  of  his  councils  * ;  and  gained  the  af- 
cendancy  in  the  cabinet  by  the  ftrength  of 
'his  reafoning,  and  by  a  vaft  fuperiority  of 
genius,  ever  fertile  in  expedients,  and  zealous 
to  recommend  the  moft  vigorous  and  fpiritcd 
mcafiires. 

*  The  ioi^iience  which  Nicon,  from  the  fuperiority  of 
his  genLuSj  obtained  in  the  tzar's  councils,  perhaps  induced 
Voltaire,  in  his  erroneous  account  of  this  patriarchy  to  de- 
clare, Aat  he  **  voulut  elever  fa  chaire  au-deffus  du  trdne  j 
^'  non  feulement  il  ufiirpait  le  droit  de  s'afTeoir  dans  le  fenat 
'*  a  cote  du  czar,  naais  il  pretendait,  qu'on  ne  pouvait  fairc 
^  ni  la  guerre  ni  la  paix  fans  fon  confentement,''  &c. 
Hift,  de  Pierre  le  Grand,  p.  74.  From  Voltaire,  the  com-, 
pikr  of  the  article  of  Ruffia,  in  the  Univerfal  Hiftbry,  ha$ 
adopted  thi^  idk  aflertioii.    V.  XXXVIII.  p,  140. 

After 


48  TRAVELS    IvNTO    RUSSIA.    *     B.  3. 

After  having  thus  attained  the  higheft  fum- 
mit  of  human  grandeur  to  which  a  fubjed 
can  arrive,  he  fell  a  vidtim  to  popular  dif- 
contents,  and  to  the  cabals  of  a  court.     His 
fell,  no  lefs  iudden  than  his  rife,  may  be  traced 
from  the  following  caufes.  •  The  removal  of 
thq  painted  images  from  the  churches  difgufted 
a  large  party  among  the    RuiSans    fuperfti- 
tioufly  addicted  to  the  adoration  of  their  an- 
ceftors;  the  correction  of  the  errors  in  the 
Liturgy  and   Bible;    the  abolition  of  fome 
ceremonies ;  and  the  admiffion  of  a  few  others 
(introduced,  perhaps,  with  too  much  hafte^ 
and  without  paying  a  due  deference  to  the 
prejudices    of  his    countrymen),   occafioned 
a    fchifm   in    the    church;     many    perfbns 
averfe  to  all  innovations,  and  adhering  to  the 
old  tenets  and  ceremonies,  formed  a*  very  con- 
fiderable   fed:   under   the  appellation  of  Old 
Believersy  and,  rifing  in  feveral  parts,  created 
much  difturbance  to  the  ftate,  circumftances 
naturally  imputed  to  Nicon  by  his  enemies. 
He  attracted  the  hatred  of  an  ignorant  and 
indolent  clergy  by  the  appointment  of  Greek 
and  Latin  feminaries  f  he  raifed  the  envy  and 
jealoufy  of  the  prime-minifter  and  courtiers 
by  his  predominance  in  the  cabinet,  and  by 
the  haughtinefs  of  his  deportment;  and  by 

th9 


Ci  4'  MOSCOW;  49 

th^  faihe  means  he  ofFended  the  tzarina  and 
her  father^  who  Were  implacable  in  their  re- 
fen  tmenti 

All  thefe  various  parties  uniting  in  one 
great  combination  againft  him,  Nicon  haften- 
ed  his  fall  by  a  Tupercilious  demeanour,  which 
occafionally  bordered  upon  arrogance;  by 
trufting  folely  for  his  fupport  to  the  redtitude 
of  his  conduit  and  the  favouf  of  his  fove- 
rdgn  i  and  by  difdaiiiing  to  guard  againft^ 
what  he  confidered,  as  the  petty  intrigues  of 
a  court* 

The  only  qircumfiance  which  feemed  w4rit- 
ing  to  complete  his  difgrace  was  the  lofs  of 
Alex^y's  proteSioii ;  and  this  was  at  length 
efiedted  by  the  gradual^  but  fecret,  infinuations 
of  the  tzarina  and  her  party ;  who  finally 
availed  themfelves  of  an  unfuccefsful  war  with 
Poland,  of  which  the  patriarch  is  faid  to  have 
been  the  principal  advifer,  to  excite  the  tzar's 
difpleafure  againft  him.  Nicon,  finding  him- 
felf  excluded  from  the  prefence  of  a  fovcre^n 
accuftomed  to  confult  him  upon  every  emer- 
gency; and  difdaining  to  hold  the  higheft 
office  in  the  kingdom,  when  he  had  loft 
the  confidence  of  his  aiafter,  aftoniihed  the 
public  by  a  voluntary  abdication  of  his  pa- 
triarchal dignity*     This    meafure,   cenfured 

Vol.  II.  E  by 


^<y  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  ^4 

by  many  as  hafty  and  imprudent,  and  highly 
expreffivc  of  that  pride  which  ftrongly  marked 
his  character,  muft  yet  be  efteemed  manly 
and  rcfolutc;  which  even  thofe  who  con- 
demn cannot  but  admire.  It  may  alfo  admit 
of  great  palliation,  if  wc  confider,  what  is 
moft  probable,  that  the  popular  odium  was 
rifing  againft  him ;  that  a  powerful  party  had 
abfolutely,  though  fecretly,  effectuated  his 
dilgrace ;  and  that,  as  he  forefaw  his  fall,  he 
preferred  a  voluntary  abdication  of  his  dignity 
to  a  forcible  depofition,  chufing  to  refign 
with  ipirit  what  he  thought  he  could  not  re- 
tain without  meannefs  *. 

This  abdication  took  place  on  the  2 1  ft  "f- 
of  July,  1658,  only  fix  years  after  he  had 
been  created  patriarch  5  and  he  quitted  that 
exalted  ftation  with  the  fame  greatncfs  of  foul 
with  which  he  had  alcended  it.  He  was  per- 
jnitted  to  retain  the  title  of  patriarch,  while  the 

♦  This  is  Ae  Opinion  of  Mayerbcrg,  "who  came  to 
Mofcow  fix  years  after  his  abdication :  After  enumerating 
the  caufes  of  his  fall,  he  adds,  "  Propter  quae  omnia  om-^ 
*'  nihus  exofusy  et  ad  exilium  communibui  votls  expetitus 
**  patrociniunv  nullum  invenerit  in  favore  Alexii,  cujus 
^^  animimi  fenfim  abalienaverant  jadis  in  longum  odiis 
^^  uxor  et  focer  iUi  ob  privatas  caulas  infenfi,*'  p.  87* 

t  Theiotb,  Q.  S, 

7  ,  >funaioo8 


c»  4*  MOSCOW*  51 

fiindions  of  his  oSice  were  performed  by  the 
archbifhpp  of  Novogorod*  He  chofe  for  the 
place  of  his  refidence  the  convent  of  Jerufa- 
lem,  built  and  endowed  by  himfelf,  which  is 
fituated  about  the  diftance  of  thirty  miles  from 
the  city  of  Mofcow.  Upon  his  arrival  at  the 
convent  he  immediately  re-aflumed  his  for- 
mer reclufe  way  of  life,  and  pradtifed  the  mofl: 
rigid  mortifications.  The  hermitage,  which 
he  inhabited,  lay  about  a  mile  from  the  mo- 
naftery,  and  is  thus  defcribed  by  an  author  *, 
who  vifited  the  fpot  in  the  beginning  of  this 
century :  **  A  winding  ftair-caie,  fo  narrow 
"  that  oiie  man  could  hardly  pafs,*  leads  to 
*^  the  little  chapel  of  about  a  fathom  in  the 
fquare,  in  which  the  patriarch  ufed  to  per- 
form his  folitary  worihip.  The  room  in 
which  he  lived  was  not  much  larger ;  in 
**  it  hung  a  broad  iron-plate,  with  a  crofs  of 
^*  brafs  fixed  to  a  heavy  chain,  weighing  above 
*^  twenty-pounds,  all  which  the  faid  patriarch 
**  wore  about  his  neck  for  twenty  years  toge- 
**  ther.  His  bed  was  a  fquare  ftone  two  ells 
**  in  length,  and  fcarcely  one  in  breadth,  over 
**  which  was  fpread  nothing  but  a  cover  of 
**  ruihes.     Below  in  the  houfe  was  a  finall 

•  Perry's  Sute  of  Ruffia,  v.  L  p.  140. 

E  2  ^*  chimney. 


€€ 
€£ 
€€ 


52  TRAVELS    INTO    RtJSSlA.         B.  p 

'*  chimney,  in  which  the  patriarch  ufcd  to 
**  drefs  his  own  victuals/' 

While  we  admire  the  fiminefs  with  which 
he  fupported  this  reverfe  of  fortune ;  we  cannot 
without  regret  obferve  a  perfon  of  his  enlight- 
ened underftanding  fubmittingtothefc  mortify- 
ing penances,  which  the  moft  ignorant  and  fu- 
perftitious  Anchorite  was  nolefs  capable  of  per- 
forming :  he  did  not,  however,  waile  his  whole 
time  in  the  performance  of  frivolous  aufterities ; 
but  employed  great  part  of  his  retirement  in 
compiling  a  regular  feries  of  Ruffian  annalifts 
from  Neftor,  the  earlieft  hiftorian  of  this 
country,  to  the  reign  of  Alexey  Michaelo-- 
vitch.  He  purfued  this  plan  with  the  fame 
zeal  which  had  diftinguilhed  all  his  other  pur- 
fuits.  He  compared  and  collated  the  nume- 
rous manufcripts ;  and,  after  the  moft  diligent 
examination,  he  digefted  the  whole  collection 
in  chronological  order  into  a  work,  which  is 
called  fometimes,  from  its  author,  the  Chro- 
nicle of  Nicon ;  and  fometimes,  from  the 
place  where  it  was  begun  and  depofited,  the 
Chronicle  of  the  Convent  of  Jerufalem .  This 
compilation,  the  labour  of  twenty  years,  is 
|uftly  efteemed,  by  the  beft  Ruffian  hifto- 
rians,  a  work  of  the  greateft  ufe  and  autho- 
rity; and  was   confidered,  by  its  venerable 

author^ 


c.  4-  MOSCOW.  53 

author,  of  fuch  importance  to  the  hiftory  of 
his  country ;  that,  in  the  trae  fpirit  of  enthu- 
fiafm,  he  begins  the  performance  by  anathe- 
matizing all  thofe  who  fhould  attempt  to  alter 
the  minuteft  expreffion. 

The  innocent  manner  in  which  he  leems 
to  have  pafled  his  time  could  not  prote<3:  him 
from  the  further  perfecutions  of  his  enemies  ; 
who  were  apprehenfive,  that  while  he  retained 
the  name  of  patriarch  he  might  be  reinftated 
in  his  former  dignity.  Repeated  complaints 
were  lodged  againft  him ;  every  difturbance, 
occafioned  by  the  old  believers,  was  made  a 
matter  of  ferious  accufation;  not  only  his 
former  conduit  was  difcufled  and  arraigned ; 
but  new  crimes  were  invented  to  render  him 
ftill  more  obnoxious.  He  was  accufed  of  ex- 
preffing  himfelf  in  a  difrefpe<ftful  manner  of  the 
tzjar,  in  a  letter  to  the  patriarch  of  Conftantino- 
ple ;  of  holding  a  treafonable  correfpondence 
with  the  king  of  Poland;  and  of  receiving 
bribes  from  the  fame  monarch. 

The  tzar,  continually  befet  by  the  patri- 
arch's enemies,  was  prevailed  upon  to  pro- 
ceed to  the  moft  violent  extremities  againft 
him.  With  this  view  he  convened,  in  1666, 
a  general  council  of  the  Greek  and  Ruffian 
clergy  at  Mofcow  ^  who,  after  a  fhort  deli- 

E  3  beration. 


54  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.         B,  3. 

beration,  formally  depofed  Nicon  from  the 
patriarchal  fee,  and  baniflied  him  to  a  diftant 
convent.  The  principal  caufe  affigned  for 
this  depofition  was,  that  Nicon,  having  by 
his  voluntary  abdication  meanly  deferted  his 
flock,  was  unworthy  to  fill  the  patriarchal 
chair ;  and  this  allegation  is  a  fufficient  proof 
that  the  other  crimes  were  malicioufly  imput- 
ed to  him,  circulated  merely  to  prejudice  the 
tzar,  and  to  influence  the  judges  againft  him : 
for  if  he  had  been  found  guilty  of  a  treafon- 
able  correfpondence ;  that  alone  would  have 
been  a  much  better  plea  for  his  depofition  and 
imprifonment,  than  a  trifling  charge  drawn 
from  his  voluntary  abdication.  In  confor- 
mity to  his  fentence,  Nicon  was  degraded  to 
the  condition  of  a  common  monk,  and  im- 
prifoned  in  the  convent  of  Therapont,  in  the 
government  of  Bielozero.  His  confinement 
was  for  fome  time  extremely  rigorous  ^  be- 
caufe,  confcious  of  his  own  integrity,  he  per- 
fifl:ed  in  a  denial  of  guilt,  and  refufed  to  accept 
a  pardon  for  crimes  which  he  had  never  com- 
mitted. Upon  the  death  of  Alexey  in  1 676, 
Feodor,  probably  at  the  inftigation  of  his 
prime-minijfter  prince  Galitzin,  the  patron 
and  friend  of  genius,  permitted  Nicon  to  re- 
move to  the  convent  of  St.  Cyril  in  the  fame 

government. 


c.  4«  Moscow.  55 

government,  where  he  enjoyed  the  moft  per- 
fed  liberty. 

Nicon  furvived  his  depoiition  fifteen  years. 
In  1 68 1  he  requefted  and  obtained  permiffion 
to  return  to  the  convent  of  Jerufalem,  that  he 
might  end  his  days  in  that  favourite  fpot; 
but  he  expired  upon  the  road  near  Yaroflaf^ 
in  the  66th  year  of  his  age.  His  remains 
were  tranfported  to  that  convent ;  and  buried 
with  all  the  ceremonies  which  are  ufual  at 
the  interment  of  patriarchs*. 

*  For  the  Hiftory  of  Nicon,  I  have  followed  Muller  in 
his  Nachricht  von  Novogorod  in*  S.  R.  G.  vol.  V. 
p.  541  to  559.  L'Evefque  has  alfb  drawn  from  the  fame 
fource  a  fpirited  and  candid  account  of  this  great  patriarch, 
to  which  I  acknowledge  myfelf  indebted  for  a  few  reflec- 
tions. Hift.  de  Ruflie,  v.  IIL  p*  391  to  394  j  alfo  417 
to  430. 


E  4  CHAP- 


56  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA,       B,  3, 


CHAP.    V. 

Ruffian  archives.  —  Englifli  Jiate-pfipers^  — b 
Commencement  of  the  connexion  between  the 
courts  of  London  and  Mofcow, — Corre^ 
Jpondence  between  queen  Elizabeth  a^d  the 
tzar  Ivan  Vaffilievitch  IL — His  demand  of 
the  lady  Anne  Haftings  in  marriage. — Ac^i 
count  of  that  negotiation. — Other  difpatches^ 
— A  letter  from  the  emperor  Maximilian  I, 
to  Vaffili  Ivanovitch. — Rife  rf  the  title  of 
tzar. — Negotiation  between  Peter  the  Grea^ 
and  the  European  cwrts  relative  to  the  titk 
of  emperor. — -Univerfty. — -Syllabus  of  the 
leSiures. — Account  of  MatthaeiV  Catalogue 
of  the  Greek  manufcripts  in  the  library  of 
the  Holy  Synod, — Hymn  to  Ceres  attributed 
to  Homer,  Gfr.  ^c. 

MR.  Muller  obligingly  accompanied  us 
to  the  place  in  the  Khitaigorod,  where 
the  public  archives  are  depofited :  it  is  a 
ftrong  brick  |>uilding,  containing  feveral  vault- 
ed apartments  with  iron  floors.  Thefe  ar- 
chives, coniifting  of  a  numerous  collection  of 
ilate-papers,  were  crouded  into  boxes,  and 
thrown  afide  like  common  lumber ;  until  the 

prefent 


g,  5?  MOSCOW,:  57 

prefent  emprefs  ordered  them  to  be  revifed 
and  arranged.     In  conformity  to  this  man^ 
date,  Mr.  MuUer  has  difpofed-'them  in  chro- 
nological order,  with  fiich  perfect  regularity, 
that  any  fingle  document  may  be  inlpedted 
with   little   trouble.     They  are  enclofed   in 
feparafe  cabijietS  with  glafs  doors :  thofe  re- 
lative to  Ruffia  are  al}  clafled  according  to 
the  fevQral   provinces  which  they  concern; 
and  over  each  cabinet  is  infcribed  the  name 
of  the  province  to  which  it  is  appropriated* 
In  the  fame  manner  the  n^anufcripts  relative 
to  foreign  kingdoms  are  placed  in  feparatc 
divifions  under  the  r^fpedtive  titles  of  Poland, 
Sweden,    England,   France,   Germany,   &c. 
The  papers  which  concerned  my  native  coun- 
try firft  engaged  my  attention.     The  earlieft 
correfpondence    between    the    fovereigns    of 
Englan4   and  Ruffia  commenced  about  the 
middle  of  the  i6th  century,  foon  after  the  dif- 
covery  of  Archangel,  and  chiefly  relates  to 
the  permiffion  of  trade  granted  exclufively  to 
the  JEnglifh  company  of  merchants  fettled  in 
this  country.     The  firft  record  is  an  original 
letter  of  Philip  and  Mary  to  Ivan  Vaffilie- 
vitch  II.  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  a  dif- 
patch  tranfmitted  to  England  by  his  embafla- 
dor  Ofef  Niphea;  and  returning  thanks  for 

the 


58  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  3. 

the  liberty  of  opening  a  free  trade  throughout 
the  Ruffian  dominions.  The  charter  of  pri- 
vileges granted  by  the  fame  tzar  to  the 
Englifh  merchants,  together  with  the  nume- 
rous letters  v^hich  he  received  from  Elizabeth, 
are  all  preferved  in  this  colledtion ;  and  moft 
of  them  are  publiihed  in  Hackluyt's  Voyages  : 
I  obferved  one,  however,  not  to  be  found  in 
that  work;  it  is  dated  the  iSthof  May,  1570, 
and  Elizabeth,  among  other  expreffions  of 
friendfhip,  offers  to  Ivan  Vaffilievitch,  in  cafe 
he  ihould  be  compelled  by  an  infurreftion  to 
quit  his  country,  an  afylum  for  himfelf  and 
family  in  England.  This  letter  was  figned 
by  Elizabeth  in  the  prefence  of  her  fecret 
council :  amongft  the  fignatures  I  noticed  the 
names  of  Bacon,  Leycefter,  and  Cecil. 

Some  hiftorians  having  aflerted,  that  the 
tzar  Ivan  Vaffilievitch  II.  carried  his  perfonal 
refpeft  for  queen  Elizabeth  fo  far  as  to  be  one 
of  her  fuitors,  while  Camden  only  relates  that 
he  propofed  to  marry  lady  Anne  Haftings, 
daughter  of  the  earl  of  Huntingdon,  my  cu- 
riofity  led  me  to  make  inquiries  into  this 
tranfadtion.  With  refped:  to  any  treaty 
of  marriage  between  the  tzar  and  Elizabeth, 
the  archives  are  entirely  filent ;  but  in  regard 
to  the  intended  efpoufal  of  lady  Anne  Haft- 

ings,_ 


c.  s.  MOSCOW.  59 

ings,   they  furnifhed   the  following  curious 
particulars. 

The  firft  hint  of  this  match  feems  to 
have  been  fuggefted  by  Dr.  Robert  Jacob 
a  phyfician,  whom  Elizabeth  in  1581,  at 
the  tzar's  defire,  fent  to  Mofcow.  Dr., 
Jacob,  not  unacquainted  with  the  ficklenefs 
of  Ivan  in  his  amours,  and  his  defire  of 
contracting  an  alliance  with  a  foreign  prin- 
cefs,  extolled,  in  the  moft  extravagant  terms, 
the  beauty,  accomplifhments,  and  rank  of  lady 
Anne  Haftings ;  and  actually  infpired  the  tzar 
with  a  ftrong  inclination  to  efpoufe  her,  al- 
though he  had  juft  married  his  fifth  wife 
Maria  Feoderofna.  Dr.  Jacob  reprefented 
this  lady  as  a  niece  of  the  queen,  and  daugh- 
ter of  an  independent  prince ;  both  which 
circumftances  being  falfe,  feem  to  prove  that 
he  adted  from  his  own  fuggeftions,  without 
the  leaft  authority  from  Elizabeth.  The 
tzar,  fired  by  his  defcription,  difpatched  Gre- 
gory Pirfemfkoi,  a  Ruffian  nobleman  of  the 
firft  diftindtion,  to  England,  to  make  a  formal 
demand  of  the  lady  for  his  wife.  It  appears 
by  his  inftrudtions,  that  he  was  ordered,  after 
a  conference  with  the  queen,  to  procure  an 
interview  with  the  lady ;  obtain  her  portrait  ^ 
and  inform  himfelf  of  the  rank  and  fituation 

of 


6q  travels    into   RUSSIA.       B.3. 

of  her  family :  he  was  then  to  requeft  that 
an  Englifh  cmbaflador  might  return  with  him 
to  Mpfcpw,  with  full  powers  to  adjuft  the 
conditions  of  the  marriage.  If  an  objedion 
ibould  be  raifed,  that  Ivan  was  already  mar- 
ried, he  was  direfted  to  anfwer,  that  the  tzar, 
having  efpoufed  a  fubje^t,  was  at  liberty  to 
divorce  her ;  and  if  it  wa§  afked,  what  pro-* 
vifion  fhould  be  made  for  the  children  by  lady 
Anne  Hafting§;  he  was  inftrudled  to  reply, 
that  Feodor  the  eldeft  prince  was  undoubtedly 
heir  to  the  throne,  but  that  her  children 
fhould  be  amply  endowed, 

Pirfernfkoi,  in  confequence  of  thefe  orders, 
repaired  to  London ;  had  an  audience  of  Eli- 
zabeth ;  faw  lady  Haftings,  who  had  juft 
recovered  fronn  the  fmall-pgx ;  procured  her 
portrait!  and  returned  to  Mofcow  in  1583, 
accompanied  with  an  Englifh  embaifador.  Sir 
Jerome  Bowes.  The  latter,  who  was  a  per-r 
fon  of  a  capricious  diipofition,  at  his  firft  in-^ 
terview  greatly  offended  the  tzar  by  his  free- 
dom of  fpeech ;  and  more  particularly  as  he 
was  not  commiilioned  tp  give  a  final  afTent  to 
the  rnarriage,  but  only  to  receive  a  more  ex-^ 
plicit  offer,  and  tranfmit  it  to  the  queen, 
The  tzar,  little  accuflomed  to  brook  delay, 
(leclared,   *'  that  no  obftacle  fhould  prevent 

^'  him 


44 
€4 


c.  5.  MOSCOW.  6i 

"  him  from  marrying  fome  kinfwoman  of 
her  majefty's ;  that  he  fliould  fend  again 
into  England  to  have  fome  one  of  them  to 
**  wife ;  adding,  that  if  her  tnajefty  would  not, 
**  upon  his  next  embafiy,  fend  hin>  fuch  an 
^^  one  as  he  defired,  himfelf  would  then  go 
into  England,  and  carry  his  treafure  with 
him,  and  marry  one  of  them  there."  Sir 
Jerome  Bowes,  probably  in  conformity  to  his 
inftru^ons,  threw  every  obftacle  in  the  way 
of  the  marriage  :  inftead  of  fpeaking  favour- 
ably of  lady  Haftings,  he  mentioned  her  per- 
fon  with  indifference,  and  denied  that  fhc 
was  any  relation  to  the  queen  5  adding,  with 
fome  marks  of  contempt,  that  his  miftrels 
had  many  fuch  nieces.  By  thefe  means  the 
afiair  was  fufpended ;  and  the  negotiation 
was  finally  terminated  by  the  death  of  the 
tzar  in  the  beginning  of  the  following 
year. 

It  appears  from  thefe  archives,  that  the 
correfpondence  between  the  Ruffian  and 
Englifh  fovereigns,  which  began  in  the  reign 
of  Ivan,  by  no  means  ceafed  upon  his  demife. 
The  amity,  indeed,  between  the  two  courts 
was  fo  firmly  eflablifhed,  that  Charles  I.  fent 
a  corps  of  troops,  under  colonel  Sanderfon,  to 
the  affiflance  of  Michael  Feodorovitch,  againfl 

Ladiflaus 


62  TRAVELS    INTO   RUSSIA*      »•  3* 

Ladiflaus  king  of  Poland;  and  Alexey  Mi-^ 
chaelovitch  occafionally  furnifhed  Charles,  in 
the  period  of  his  greateft  diftrefs,  with  money 
and  com.  The  laft  letter  from  our  un* 
fortunate  fovereign  to  Alexey  is  dated  Ifle  of 
Wight,  June  i,  1648,  and  was  written  during 
his  confinement  in  Carifbrook-Caftle,  I  ob- 
fcrved  one  from  Charles  II.  to  the  fame  tzar, 
announcing  the  execution  of  his  father  :  it  is 
dated  September  the  i6th,  1649,  and  was 
brought  to  Mofcow  by  Lord  Culpepper. 

During  the  ufurpation  of  Cromwell,  Alexey 
maintained  a  conftant  correfpondence  with  the 
exiled  Charles.  He  was  accuftomed  to  de- 
clare, that  all  monarchs  ought  to  efteem  the 
caufe  of  Charles  I.  as  their  own  ;  and  fhould 
not,  by  countenancing  an  ufurper,  encourage 
CibjeSs  to  rebel  againft  their  king.  In  con- 
formity to  thefe  fentiments  he  refufed,  for 
ibme  time*,  to  hold  any  intercourfe  with 
the  protestor ;  and  thefe  archives  contain  no 
letters  between  Cromwell  and  the  tzar. 

*  I  fayforfome  time-y  for  although,  if  I  rightly  remem- 
ber, thefe  archives  contain  no  difpatches  between  the  tzar 
and  Cromwell,  yet  it  is  certain,  that  afterwards  Alexey 
maintained  a  corre^ndence  with  the  proteftor,  apd  had 
once  confented  to  receive  his  embafladors  at  Mofcow. 
This  will  fully  appear  in  the  chapter  on  the  Rife  and  Pro- 
grefs  of  the  Englifli  Trade  to  RufEa  in  the  next  volume. 

'  The 


r 


C^  ^p  MOSCOW.  63 

The  reftoration  of  Charles  II.  renewed  the 
friendly  harmony  between  the  two  courts  ; 
anji  as  from  this  interval  the  difpatches  re- 
ceived from  England  were  fo  numerous,  that 
it  would  have  required  feveral  days  to  have 
examined  them  with  any  degree  of  attention ; 
I  was  compelled  to  retire  without  having 
fufficiently  fatisfied  my  curiofity.  Thefe 
papers  *,  as  they  contain  a  complete  hiflo*- 
rical  feries  of  the  alliances,  connection,  cor- 
refpondence,  and  commerce,  between  Ruflit 
and  England,  could  not  fail  of  forming  a 
very  interefting  publication,  if  they  were 
printed  in  chronological  order,  and  intcriper*- 
fed  with  hiftorical  obfervations. 

I  had  fcarcely  time  to  take  a  glance  of  the 
numerous  ftate-papers  which*  relate  to  the 
other  European  powers;  but  the  keeper  of 
the  archives  did  not  omit  pointing  ^ut  to  me 
one  document  of  great  importance  in   the 

*  Thefe  papers  appeared  fo  curious,  that  foon  after  my 
arrival  at  Peterfburgh,  I  obtained,  by  the  kind  interceflion 
of  Sir  James  Harris,  permiffion  from  count  Panin  to  have 
them  copied.  But  the  demands  of  the  copyift  being  greatly 
difproportionate  to  my  finances,  I  was  unwillingly  obliged 
torelinquiih  my  defign;  and  I  muft  leave  to  fome  richer 
traveller  the  happinefs  of  diQ)laying  to  the  public  this  trea^ 
yirr/ of  political  information. 

hiilory 


^4  TRAVELS   INTO   ftUSSl A.       J5.  ^i 

hiftory  of  Ruffia:  I  allude  to  the  famouSf 
letter^  written  in  the  German  tongue  *>  front 
Maximilian  L  emperor  of  Germany,  to  Vaffili 
Ivanovitch>  confirming  a  treaty  of  alliarice 
offenfive  and  defcnfive  againft  Sigifmond  king 
of  Poland.  The  dilpatch,  which  is  dated 
Auguft  the  4th,  1 5 14,  and  is  ratified  with 
the  feal  of  the  golden-bull,  is  re:markable 
becaufe  Maximilian  addrefles  Vaffili  by  calling 
him  Kayfer  und  Herrfcher  aller  Ruflen  •  £/»- 
feror  and  ruler  of  all  the  Ruffias.  This 
deed>  which  was  difcovered  by  baron  Sha-^^ 
virof  in  the  archives  about  the  beginning 
of  this  century,  is  faid  to  have  firft  fuggefted 
to  Peter  the  idea  of  afluming  the  appellation 
of  emperor ;  and  of  formally  demanding  that 
it  fhould  never  be  omitted  by  the  European 
courts.  The  claim  gave  rife  to  various  ne-^ 
jgotiations,  and  occafioned  a  curious  contro- 
verfy  among  the  learned,  concerning  the  rife 
and  progrefs  of  the  titles  by  which  the 
monarchs  of  this  country  have  been  diftin- 
guilhed.  From  their  refearches,  it  appeared 
that  the  early  fovereigns  of  Ruffia  were  called 

*  The  reader  will  find  a  copy  of  the  original  German 
in  Weber's  Verandertes  Rufsland,  v.  1.  p.  3S7>  aiwl  a. 
faithful  tranflation  in  Perry's  State  of  Ruffia,  p,  258» 

great- 


ۥ5*  MOSCOW*  6^ 

great-dukes  -,  and  that  Vaffili  Ivanovitch  ^ 
was  probably  the  firft  who  ftyled  himfelf 
tzar,  an  expreflion  which,  in  the  Sclavonian 
language,  fignifies  king;  and  that  his  fuc- 
ceflbrs  continued  to  bear  within  their  own 
dominions  that  title  as  the  moft  honourable 
appellation,  until  Peter  the  Great  firft  took 
that  of  Pov^litel,  or  emperor.  It  is  nevei:- 
thelefs  as  certain,  that  the  foreign  courts  -f*  in 
their  intercourfe  with  that  of  Mofcow,  ftyled 
the  fovereign  indifcriminately  great-duke,  tzar, 
and  eijiperor  J.  With  refpedt  to  England  in 
particular,  we  know  for  certain,  that  in 
Chancellor's  Account  of  Ruffia,  fo  early  as 

♦  The  appellation  of  tzar  was  not  taken,  as  feme 
authors  fuppofe,  from  the  Tartars,  when  Ivan  conquered 
Cafan,  for  the  prince  of  Cafan  was  called  Khan. 

f  This  is  aflerted  upon  the  pofitive  teftimony  of  Her- 
berftein  5  and  his  authority  is  unqueftionable,  becaufe,  as 
he  was  twice  embaflador  to  Mofcow,  the  firft  time  to 
Vaffili  Ivanovitch,  and  afterwards  to  Ivan  Vaffilievitch  II. 
he  muft  have  been  acquainted  with  the  titles  borne  by  thefc 
two  fovereigns.  Other  authors  fuppofe  that  his  fon  Ivan 
was  the  firft  who  afliyned  the  title  of  tzar. 

X  According  to  Mayerberg,  the  title  of  Alexey  Mi- 
chaelovitch  prefixed  to  his  Code  of  Laws,  was  "  Tzar,  et 
''  Magnus  Dux  totius  Ruffiae  Autrocator.'*  Iter  in 
Mof.  p.  II3, 

Vol.  IL  F  the 


66  TRAVELS    INTO    RITSSIA.       B.  J. 

the  middle  of  the  fixteenth  century,  Ivan 
Vaflilievkch  II.  is  called  lord  and  emperor 
of  all  Ruffia ;  and  in  the  Englifh  difpatchcs^ 
from  the  reign  of  Elizabeth  to  that  of  Anne, 
he  is  generally  addreflcd  under  the  fame  ap- 
pellation. We  may  at  the  fame  time  re- 
mark, that  when  the  European  powers  ftyled 
the  tzar  emperor  of  Mufcovy,  they  by  no 
means  intended  to  give  him  a  title  fimilar  to 
that  which  was  peculiar  to  the  emperor  of 
'  Germany  j  l>ut  they  beftowed  upon  him  that 
appellation  as  upon  an  Afiatic  fovercign,  in 
the  fame  manner  as  we  now  fay  the  emperors 
of  -China  and  Japan.  When  Peter,  there- 
fore, determined  to  aiTume  the  title  of  em- 
peror, he  found  no  difficulty  in  proving  that 
it  had  been  conferred  upon  his  predeceffors  by 
moft  of  the  European  powers ;  yet,  when  he 
was  defirous  of  affixing  to  the  term  the  Eu- 
ropean fenfe,  it  was  confidered  as  an  inno- 
vation, and  was  produdlive  of  more  nego- 
tiations than  would  have  been  requifite  for 
the  termination  of  the  moft  important  ftate- 
aifair.  After  many  delays  and  objedions, 
the  principal  courts  of  Europe  confented, 
about  the  year  1722,  ^ to  addrefs  the  fovereign 
of  Ruffia  with  the  title  of  emperor,  without 

prejudice. 


c.  5'  MOSCOW.  ^7 

,prejudice,  ncverthclefs,  ^o  the  other  crowned 
Jieads .  of  Europe  *  • 

The 

♦.Many  authors  have  erroncoufly  advanced,  that  the 
Englifli  einb,afla(iQr  Lord  Whitworth,  foon  after  the  battle 
of  Pultava,  gave,  by  order  of  queen  Anne,  the  title  of  em- 
peror in  its  .European  fenfe  to  Peter  the  Great.  But  the 
following  cxtrafts,  in  a  difpatch  of  Lord  Carteret  to  Sir 
Luke  Scbaube,  the  Engli(h  minifter  at  Paris,  which  fell 
under  my  obfervations  fincc  I  had  finifhed  the  account  in 
the  text,  will  fully  contradift  thefe  aflertions ;  and  are  here 
inferted,  becaufe  they  will  help  to  throw  further  light  upon 
this  fubjecft.  The  United  Provinces  and  the  king  of  Pruffia 
had  already,  in  171 1,  acknowledged  Peter's  right  to  the 
title  of  emperor :  but  the  courts  of  London  and  Paris  with- 
held their  confent.  During  the  negotiation  pending  be- 
tween thofe  courts  and  Peter,  ieveral  difpatches  pafled  be- 
tween lord  Carteret,  fecretary  of  ftate,  the  cardinal  Dubois, 
and  Sir  Luke  Schaube,  Englifh  miniflers  at  Paris. 

*'  Le  cardinal,"  writes  lord  Carteret,  in  one  of  his  dif. 
patches  to  Sir  Luke,  dated  Jan.  172 1-2,  "  croit  qu'on 
*'  pourroit  accorder  le  titre  de  Vempereur  au  tzar,  de  ma- 
^  niere  que  les  couronnes  n*en  fuflent  point  prejudicies." 

''  Le  Hoy  [George  I.]  a  trouve  la  reponfe  tres  fage, 
'^  que  le  cardinal  a  faite  aux  miniftres  du  czar  touchant  la 
**  demande  du.  titre  d'empereur.  Nous  agirons  de  concert^ 
*^avec  fon  eminence  dans  cette  affaire.  Et  pour  luy 
**  donner  les  eclairciflements ;  qu'elle  fouhaite,  touchant 
**  ce  qui  s'eft  pafle  entre  la  Grande  Bretagne  et  le  czar  a 
*'  regard  du  titre,  je  vous  enyoye  un  extrait,  qui  a  ete  tire 
**  des  regiftres  de  nos  archives,  pour  luy  etre  communique, 
*'  Les  miniftres  Mofcovites  ne  font  nullement  fondez  en  ce 
**  qu'ils  alleguent  que  ce  titre  a  ete  accordc  auczarcomme 

F  2  *^une 


6&  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  3. 

The  archives  contain  alfo  thirteen  volumes 
of  letters,  journals,  notes,  and  other  manu- 
scripts, 

*^une  partie  de  la  fatisfaSion  dans  Taffaire  de  Matueof. 
*'  II  eft  conftant  que  Ton  ne  fit  alors  aucun  changement  si 
**  cette  occafion  la. 

*'  En  examinant  le  ftile,  dont  les  roys  de  la  Grande 
*^  Bretagne  fe  font  fervis,  en  ecrivant  aiix  czars  de  Mofco- 
*'  vie,  on  eft  remonte  jufqu'au  terns  de  la  reine  Elizabeth. 
*'  On  trouve  qu'on  leur  a  toujours  ecrit  en  Anglois,  et 
''  que  cette  princefle, 

An.  1559.  Se  fervoit  du  ftile  d^empereur  et  de  highnefs.    . 

An.  i6i6.  Le  roy  Jaques  I,  de  celuy  d^empereur  et  de 
majejiy. 

An.  1633.  Le  roy  Charles  L 

t666.  Le  roy  Charles  11. 

^687.  Jaques  II.  et  Guillaume  IIL  de  cduy  d*empe- 

^^'   rour  de  d^ imperial  majejiy. 

1707.  La  reine  Anne  s'eft  fervie  du  ftile  d^emperour 

et  d* imperial  majeJly^  jufqu'a  Tan  1 707,  et  alors 
on  commen^a  a  ecrire  commander^  &c.  et 
czaric  majeJly. 

1708.  En  1708  le  19  Juillet  et  le  19  Septembre,  com- 
mander et  imperial  majeJly ;  et  le  9  Novembre 
de  la  meme  annee  emperour  et  imperial  majejiy. 
En  1709,  17 10,  IT iiy  Emperour  et  imperial 
majeJiy. 

En  1 7 12,  1713,  1 7 14,  emperour  et  czarean^ 
czarijhy  et  imperial  majeJly  tantot  Tun,  tantot 
Tautre,  et  fouvent  czarijh^  et  imperial  majejyy 
dans  une  meme  lettre. 

En 


c.  5.  M  o  s  c  o  w,  69 

fcripts,  of  Peter  the  Great,  written  with  his 
own  hand  :  thefe  papers  fufficiently  fhow  the 

indefatigable 

En  1 7 14  le  27  Septembre,  le  ftile  de  la  lettre 
de  notification  de  Tavenement  du  roy  a  la 
Couronne,  eft,  etnperour  et  your  majejiy^  et 
dans  plufieurs  autres  lettres  depuis  ce  temps 
la  czarijh^  ou  imperial  majejly^  et  quelquefois 
your  majejly  fimplementt 

Voicy  le  titre  entier^ 

To  the  moft  bighj  moft  potent,  and  moft  \U 
luftrious,  our  moft  dear  brother,  the  great 
lord  czar,  and  great-duke,  Peter  Alexejewitz, 
of  ail  the  Greater,  Leffer,  and  White  Ruffia, 
•  Self-Upholder  of  Mufcovia,  Kiovia,  Ulodo- 
miria,  Novogardia,  czar  of  Cazan,  czar  of 
Aftrachan,  czar  of  Siberia,  lord  of  Plexoe, 
and  great-duke  of  Smolenfko,  Tueria,  Ugo- 
ria,  Permia,  Viatkya,  Bolgaria,  and  others, 
lord  and  great-duke  of  Novogardia,  and  of 
the  Lower  Countries  of  Czernegorfky,  Re- 
fanflcy,  Roftovefky,  Yeroflave,  Beloorzerfky, 
Udorflcy,  Obdorfki,  Condinfki,  and  emperour 
of  all  the  Northern  Coafts,  lord  of  the  Lands 
of  Iverfky,  Cartilinfky,  and  Gruzenfky,  czar 
of  the  Lands  of  Caberdinflcy,  Czereaiky,  and 
duke  of  the  Mountains,  and  of  many  other 
Dominions  and  Countries,  Eaft,  Weft,  and 
North,  from  Father,  and  from  Grandfather| 
Heir,  Lord  and  Conqueror, 


1. 


F  3  J^r4 


•y 


yO  TRAVELS    INTO    RITSSIA.        B.  3. 

indefatigable   pains,   with  which  that  great 
monarch  noted  down  the  minuteft  circuin- 

ftances. 

Lord   Carteret,   in  a  letter  to   the^  cardiixal  Dubois, 
writes, 

Le  roi  concoura  fans  difEculte  avec  fa  majefte 
tres  Chretienne  a  faire  cc  que  V.  Eminence 
jugera  convenable,  par  rapport  au  nouveau 
titre  que  k  czar  demande,  et  un  parfait  con- 
cert a  faire  elperer  a  ce  prince  une  telle  com- 
plaifance  pour  fervir  a  le  gagner,  et  a  nous 
faire  tirer  fruits  de  fon  ambition,  Jan.  30, 
1721-2. 

And  in  a  difpatch  to  Sir  Luke  Schaube,  he  thus  exprefleft 
himfelf: 

La  coAtume  icy  a  toujours  ^te  d*^crire  aux 
czars  de  Mofcoyie  fur  du  velin  enlumine  peint 
et  dore,  comme  on  fait  aux  empereurs  de 
Maroc  et  Fez,  et  a  plufieurs  autres  princes 
non-Europeens  lefquels  felon  cette  coutume 
fcrotent  egalehient  fondez  d'infiftcr  fur  le  titre 
d'empcreur.  On  n'a  jamais  voulu^  changer 
Tufage  etably,  quoique  les  Mofcovites  Tayent 
fort  folicite  durant  TambafBuie  de  my  lord 
Whitworth  a  MofcoW.  Ce  miniftre  s'excufa 
toujours  d'cn  faire  la  propofitton.  II  leur 
dit,  qu'il  leur  donneroit  le  titre,  fans  difficulte, 
tel  qu'il  le  trouvoit  etabli ;  mais  qu'il  ne  leur 
confeilloit  pas  de  remuer  cette  matiere,  ni  de 
s*eclaircir  trop  foigneufement  fur  quel  pied  on 
leur  donnoit  ce  t^tre.  Les  Mofcovites  crurent 
fon   avjs   bon  pour  lors.     Quand  my  lord 

Whitworth 


Ci  5*  MOSCOW.  71 

fiances,  that  might  prove  ufeful  in  hi^  ex- 
tenfive  plans  for  the  civilization  and  aggraiK 
difement  of  his  country.  Mr.  Muller  has 
lately  given  to.  the  public  feveral  letters  and 
other  pieces  of  this  kind,  which  throw  a 
coniiderable  light  upon  the  tranfadions  of 
Peter's  reign,  and  afford  flriking  inflances  of 
his  perfevering  genius. 

From  the  archives  we  repaired  to  the 
univerfity,  alfb  fituated  in  the  Khitaigorod : 
it  was  founded,  at  the  inflance  of  count 
Shuvalof,  by  the  emprefs  Elizabeth,  for  fix 
hundred  fhidents,  who  are  clothed,  boarded, 
and  inflrudled  at  the  expence  of  the  crown. 
We  were  received,  with  great  civility,  by 
the  diredlor  of  the  univerfity  and  profeflfors^ 
who  conduced  us  firfl  to  the  printing-office 

Whitworth  et  Mr.  Tamiral  Norris  furcnt 
chargez  d'une  commiifion  auprez  du  czar  a 
Amfterdatii)  ils  n'eurent  que  des  lettres  de 
cachet,  dont  le  ftile  ctoit  voire  majejli\  les 
miniftres  Ruiliens  en  firent  d'abord  quelque 
fcrupule,  mais  n'y  infiftereht  pas. 

Thefc  cxtrafts  arc  drgwn  from  Sir  Luke  Schaube*s  State 
Papers,  in  the  rare  and  ample  colledion  of  the  earl  of 
Hardwicke,  a  nobleman  as  diftinguifhed  for  the  extcntj 
as  the  liberal  communication  of  his  knowledge. 

F  4  belonging 


72  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA,        B.  3. 

belonging  to  their  fociety.  One  of  the  preffes 
being  at  work,  feveral  fheets  were  ftruck  off 
and  prefented  to  us  as  fpecimens  of  the  Ruffian 
printing :  upon  looking  at  them  we  were 
furprized  to  find  a  complimentary  addrefs  to 
ourfelves  in  the  Englifh  and  Ruffian  lan- 
guages, of  which  the  following  is  a  fac^ 
Jimik.  V 


This 


s  Specimen  of  the! 

nted  to  the  Right 
HERBERTon  his  Travels  thro= 
by  Captain  Floyd  &  Mr.  Coxe^ 
the  Imperial  Univerfity  of  Mofc. 
this  *  r  Day  of  September  1778 


ie  niHCHenie  aemti. 
CCHO  BHCOKonoq:r 
rEPBEPXy  BB  ero  nymeraec 
ciK)  CT.  KanmnaHOMt  <l>Aoiig, 
KoKcouh  BospeMa,  Kor4a  o 
e^rocMOHHMMB  iioc-mnfim&Ti. 
CKOBCKitl  yHMBepcHinenni  CeHr 


•  o.  s. 

Vol,,  ir. 


To  face  Page  72,  V«I,  II. 


Ruffian  print  was  pre- 
f  honourable  LORD 
f  Rpffia,  accompany 'd 
I  on  their  honouring 
b  with  a  friendly  vilit 


Af  iMf  V^  V^  Vuf  V)if  V«f  V«f  S^  V^  V)^  Vi^^a^Vi^^A^%A^  • 


niM  PocciftcKoft  no4He- 

* 

*iieHH*inneMy    AOV^ 
nrBOBaHiH    qpea'B    Poc- 

10 Aid     H   r0Cn04HH0M^ 
HH  y40CinOILIH   CBOHMfc 

»  HMnepamopcKiA  Mo- 
rr^6p^  I  41W  1778  ro4a. 


Wc 


i 


! 


c.  ^.  MOSCOW.  73 

We  next  proceeded  to  the  univerfity  library, 
which  contains  a  fmall  colle(£tion  of  books, 
and  a  moderate  apparatus  of  experimental 
philofophy. 

Upon  taking  leave  of  the  diredtor,  he  obli- 
gingly prefented  me  with  a  Grammar  of  the 
Tartar  language,  which  is  taught  in  this 
fociety ;  a  Syllabus  of  a  year's  lectures ;  and 
a  Catalogue  of  the  Greek  Manufcripts  in  the 
library  of  the  Holy  Synod. ' 

The  following  extract  from  the  Syllabus  * 
will  difplay  to  the  reader  the  general  ftudies, 
and  the  principal  books  ufed  in  this  univerfity 
for  the  inftruftion  of  the  ftudents . 

I .  A  courfe  of  lectures  on  the  Hiftory  of 
the  Ruffian  Law,  on  Nettelbadianus,  Syfiemu 
univerfa  Jurifprudenticey  and  on  the  Jus  Cam^ 
biale^y  eight  hours  in  the  week.  2.  On  Ci- 
cero's Orations  againft  Catiline,  the  fixth 
book  of  Virgil's  Eneid,  plays  of  Plautus  and 
Terence,  inftru6tions  on  the  manner  of  writ-  , 
ing  Latin  and  Ruffian  verfes  from  the  exam- 
ples of  Lomonofof  and  Horace  5  an  expofition 
of  the  panegyrical  •  orations  of  Lomonofof, 
together  with   trailflations  and  exerciies   in 

*  It  is  entided  "  Catalogus  pradefUonum  publicamm 
^  in  Univcrfitatc  Csefarca  Mofquenfi  babendarum." 

Latin 


74  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.   3. 

Latin  and  Ruffian  profe :  eight  hours  in'  the 
week.  3.  On  arithmetic,  trigonometiy,  and 
optics,  from  Weidler's  Mathematics  Injlitu^ 
tiones  y  and  experimental  philofbphy  from 
Kruger's  Compendium.  4.  On  antient  and 
modern  hiftory .  5 .  Introduftion  to  the  know- 
ledge of  moral  philofophy,  from  Bielfield's 
Inftitutes.  6.  On  clinic  medicine,  or  the 
remedies  ufed  by  antient  and  modern  phyfi- 
cians,  from  Vogel's  Compendium.  7.  On  the 
pandefts  from  the  Compendium  of  Heineccius, 
and  a  comparifon  between  the  Roman  and  Ruf- 
fian law :  eight  hours  in  the  week.  Profeflbr 
Defaitfky,  who  reads  this  lecture,  teaches  alfo 
the  Englifh  language  from  a  Grammar  com- 
piled by  himfelf :  four  hours  in  the  week. 

8.  Logic  and  metaphyfics  from  Baumeifter's 
logic,  eight  hours  in  the  week ;  and  four  hours 
geometry  and    trigonometry,  from  Weidler. 

9.  On  phyfic,  under  the  following  heads, 
pathology,  dietetics,  and  therapeutics,  from 
Ludwig's  Compendium.  io»  On  Botany, 
after  the  fyftem  of  liinnaeus.  11.  Anatomy 
fr<mi  Ludwig.  12.  On  the  etymology,  fyn- 
taXy  and  ftyle  of  the  French  tongue :  eight 
hours  in  the  week.  13.  Etymology,  fyntax, 
and  flyle  of  the  German^. 

Befide  the  univerfity,  there  are  two  gym- 
3  nafia. 


c.  5»  MOSCOW.  75 

nafia,  or  feminaries,  for  the  education  of  youth, 
endowed    alfo   by    Elizabeth,   in  which   arc 
taught    divinity,     claffics,     philofophy,    the 
Greek,  Latin,  Ruffian,  German,  French,  Ita- 
lian, and  Tartar  languages ;  hiftory,  geogra- 
phy, mathematics,  architedture,  fortification, 
artillery,  algebra,  drawing  and  painting,  mufic, 
fencing,  dancing,  reading  and  writing.    Thero 
are  twenty-three  profeflbrs  :   amongft  thefc, 
the  Syllabus  informed  me,  that  Mr.  Alexicf 
teaches    divinity    two   hours    in   the   week. 
Mr.  Matthaei,    profcflbr  and  redtor  of  both 
feminaries,   explains  fome  of  Cicero's    Ora- 
tions and  feledt  Epiftles,  Libanius's  Letters, 
Ernefti's  Oratorical  Eflays,  Xenophons  Ana^ 
bqfisy  teaches  the  Roman  antiquities  from  Bur- 
man's  Compendium^  and  continues  his  ufual 
Latin  exercifes  upon  oratory.    Mr.  Sinkovfki, 
every  morning  from  feven  to  nine,  treats  of 
the  principles  of  rhetoric,  particularly  con- 
cerning the  Periodologia^  both  as  to  theory  and 
pradice,   from  Burgius's  Elementa  Oratoria% 
explains  Casfar's  Commentaries  and  Juftin; 
employs  his  fcholars  in  Latin  and  Ruffian 
tranflations,  and  in  the  etymology  and  fyntax 
of  the   Greek  tongue:   reads  Plutarch  'urepi 
VLrvxyfii  and,  from  nine  to  twelve  on  Mon- 
days, Wednefdays,    and    Saturdays,    Ovid's 

Metamorphofis, 


76  TRAVELS    INTO   RUSSIA.        B.  3. 

Metamorphofis,  and  connects  mythology  with 
antient  hiftory  and  geography.  Mr.  Tiher- 
botaref,  extraordinary  profeflbr  of  logic  and 
morality,  and  under-librarian  to  the  univer- 
fity,  four  hours  in  the  week,  comments  upon 
Heineccii  elementa  philofophlce  rationalis  et  mo^ 
ralisy  as  well  in  the  original  Latin,  as  in  the 
Ruffian  *  tranflation,  for  the  benejfit  of  thofe 
who  are  unacquainted  with  the  Latin  tongue. 
Mr.  Urbanfki  gives  inftrudtions  in  rhetoric 
from  the  Compendium  of  Burgius,  both  in 
theory  and  pradice.  Mr.  Holberftof  explains 
Count  Teffin's  Letters  to  a  young  prince^. 

The  account  of  the  Greek  manufcripts  in 
the  library  of  the  Holy  Synod  at  Mofcow,  pre- 
fented  to  me  by  the  director,  bore  the  follow- 
ing title  :  '*  Notitia  codicum  manuf crip  tor  um 
Graecorum  Bibliothecarum  Mofquenjiumfanc^ 
tifjimae  Jynodi  Ecclefiae  orthodoxae  Graeco^ 
RuJJicae^  cum  variis  anecdotis^  tabulis  aeneis  et 
indicibus  locupletiffimis .  Edidit  Chrifiianus 
Fredericus  Matthaei,  Gymnajiorum  Vniver- 
Jitatts  Mofquenjis  ReBor.  Mofquae^  typis  Uni^ 
verjitatisy  Anno  1776,"  folio.     The  author 


€€ 
€€ 
€€ 
€( 
€€ 
€€ 


*  lis  praecipue,  qui  linguae  Latinae  funt  ignari,  nee  fua 
fiudia  academica  in  univerfitate  ulterius  profequi  pofliint. 

t  The  prefcnt  king  of  Sweden  when  prince  royal. 

is 


c.  5-  ^        M   o   S   C   O  W.  *JJ 

* 

is  Chriftian  Frederick  Matthaei,  a  learned 
German,  who  was  educated  at  Leipfic  under 
the  celebrated  Ernefti  5  and  being  drawn  to 
Mofcow  by  the  liberality  of  the  emprefs,  was 
appointed  a  profeflbr  of  this  univerfity.  Soon 
after  his  arrival  in  this  city,  he  turned  his 
firft  attention  to  the  ftate  of  Greek  learning  in 
this  country  \  arid  being  informed  that  the 
library  of  the  Holy  Synod  contained  a  large 
and  curious  colle(5tion  of  Greek  manufcripts, 
the  greateft  part  of  which  had,  at  the  fuggef- 
tion  of  the  patriarch  Nicon,  and  at  the  ex- 
pence  of  Alexey  Michaelovitch,  been  colleded 
by  the  monk  Arfenius  from  the  monaftery  of 
Mount  Athos,  he  immediately  explored  this 
literary  treafure. 

As  a  catalogue  of  thefe  liianufcripts,  pub- 
lifhed  by  Athanafius  Schiada,  by  order  of  Peter 
the  Great,  was  exceedingly  inaccurate,  Mat- 
thaei, who  had  difplayed  his  erudition  by  fe- 
veral  excellent  editions  *  of  the  Claflics,  was 
encouraged,  by  Prince  Potemkin,  the  great 
patron  of  antient  literature,  who  defrayed  the 
expence  of  the  publication,  to^undertake  this 

*  The  late  ingenious  Mr.  Harris  has  enumerated  the 
editions  publiflied  by  Mr.  Matthaei.  Philof.  Inquiries, 
p.  564. 

/  work 


j9  TRAVXXS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  J^ 

wofIc  upon  St  more  extenflve  plan.  Accord- 
ingly, in  1776,  the  learned  editor  gave  to  the 
public  this  firft  part  of  the  performance^  in 
which  he  has  laid  down  a  very  accurate  and 
circumftantial  detail  of  fifty-one  manufcripts, 
accompanied  with  many  judicious  remarks 
and  critical  inquiries.  He  defcribes  the  ma- 
terials upon  which  each  manufcript  is  written ; 
ipedfies  its  age,  contents,  and  author,  the^ 
number  of  pages  it  contains,  and  the  two 
Words  with  which  it  begins  and  ends :  he 
points  out  alfo  the  particular  perfons  into 
whofe  poflcflion  it  had  fucceflively  pafled. 
The  author  propofes  to  continue  the  publica- 
tion at  different  intervals  until  he  has  finiihed 
the  account*  But  as  it  would  require  many 
years  thus  minutely  to  detail  and  defcribe  all 
the  manufcripts,  whofe  number  amounts  to 
.502 ;  the  learned  author  has,  in  the  mean 
while,  favoured  the  public  with  a  complete 
catalogue,  in  a  lefs  circumftantial  manner, 
under  the  fbllowibg  title :  *^  Index  codicum 
**  mafzufcriptGrum  Graecorum  Bibliothecarum 
•*  Mofquenjium  JanBiffimae  Synodi  ecclejiae  or-- 
**  thodoxae  Graeco-RuJJicae :  edidit  Chrijiianus 
**  Tridericus  Matthaei.  Petropoli^  typis  Aca^ 
'**  demiae  Scientiarum^  1780,"   4to.     To   this 

index 


jC.  5*  MOSCOW.  79 

index  is  pfefixed  a  very  fatisfa6tory  and  com- 
prehenflve  introdudtion  ;  in  which,  after  hav- 
ing informed  us  that  he  compiled  it  for  the 
ufe  of  prince  Yufapof,  an  cnthufiaft  in  Greek 
literature,  he /enters  into  a  fliort  account  of 
the  principal  manufcripts.  Among  thcfe  he 
enumerates  feveral  of  the  Septuagint,  and  one 
in  particular  of  the  Books  of  Kings,  which  is 
of  the  ninth  century,  and  contains,  in  fome 
pkces,  many  various  readings,  materially  dif- 
fering from  the  printed  editions.  He  men- 
tions alfo  feveral  of  the  New  Teftament; 
.fome  accompanied  with  antient  comnaentaries, 
which  have  never  been  publifhed,  and  which 
the  ingenious  author  has  tranfcribed,  collated, 
and  prepared  for  the  prefs.  The  moft  an- 
f  tient  of  thefe,  containing  the  New  Teftament, 
was  written  at  different  periods  ^  the  firft  part 
fb  early  as  the  feventh  or  eighth  century, 
and  the  remainder  in  the  twelfth  and  thir- 
teenth. He  adds,  that  this  colleftion,  al- 
though chiefly  confined  to  theological  fubjefts, 
is  by  no  means  deficient  in  the  dailies ; 
arpong  which  he  particularly  mentions  Homer, 
iEfchylus,  Sophocles,  Demofthenes,  iEfchines, 
Hefiod,  Paulanias,  Plutarch,  and  a  moft  beau- 
tiful Strabo,  which  he  has  collated  for 
the  new  edition  of  that  author,    preparing 

fpr 


8d  travels    into   RUSSIA*       B.  3^ 

for  the  Clarendon  prefs  by  Mr.  Falkener  of 
Oxford  *• 

In  this  library  of  the  Holy  Synod  Mr.  Mat- 
thaei  difcovered  an  antient  hymn  of  Ceres  in 
a  manufcript  of  Homer,  written  about  the 
conclufion  of  the  fourteenth  century,  but 
which  he  fuppofes  to  have  been  a  tranfcript 
from  a  moft  antient  and  valuable  copy  :  this 
manufcript,  befide  a  fragment  of  the  Iliad, 
contained  the  fixteen  hymns  ufually  attributed 
to  Homer,  in  the  fame  order  as  they  are  ge- 
nerally printed.  At  the  end  of  the  fixteenth 
he  found  twelve  verfes  of  an  hymn  to  Bacchus, 
and  an  hymn  to  Ceres,  which,  excepting  the 
laft  part,  was  entire.  Mr.  Matthaei,  well 
acquainted  with  the  delays  which  would  have 
attended  the  publication  at  Mofcow,  fent  a 
copy  of  the  hymn  to  the  celebrated  Ruhnke- 
nius,  of  the  univerfity  of  Leyden,.  who  gave 
it  to  the  public  in  1780 ;  and,  as  by  miftake 
twenty  lines  had  been  omitted,  he  put  forth 
a  fecond  edition  the  following  year  "f. 

*  It  was  a  confiderable  difappointment  to  me,  that 
Mr.  Matthxi  was  abfent  from  Mofcow  during  my  con- 
tinuance in  that  city,  as  I  fbould  have  derived  great  infor- 
mation from  his  acquaintance*  I  have  likewife  to  regret, 
that,  on  account  of  his  abfence,  I  could  not  obtain  a  fight 
of  thefe  manufcripts. 

t  Homeri  Hymnus  in  Cerercm  nunc  primum  editus  a 
Davide  Ruhnkenio. 

The 


C.  5.  M    b    S    C    O   W.  81 

The  learned  editor  has  prefixed  a  critical 
difquifition  upon  this  hymn^  iri  whifch  he 
aflerts  that  it  is  undoubtedly  of  great  anti- 
quity, and  written,  if  not  by  Homer  himfelf, 
yet  certainly  by  a  very  diligent  imitator  of 
his  ftyle  and  phrafeology.  The  exprcfs  tef- 
timony  of  Paufanias>  who  repeatedly  mentions 
that  Homer  had  compbfed  an  hymn  to  Ceres, 
may  perhaps  feem  to  fome  readers  a  ftrong 
argument^  that  it  is  the  genuine  jirodudion 
of  the  great  author  whofe  name  it  bears  :  and 
yet  the  joint  opinion  of  the  two  antient 
grammarians  *^  quoted  by  Ruhnkenius  in 
his.  preface,  may  be  thought  of  fufficieflt 
weight  to  counterbalance  the  fingle  evidence 
of  Paufanias  ;  whofe  judgrdent  (as  the  editoi" 
has  well  obferved)  in  this  cafe  is  of  the  lefs 
Value,  becaufe  he  has,  without  difcrimlnation, 
adjudged  the  reft  of  the  Homeric  hymns  to 
the  reputed  parent,  many  of  which  bear  much 
ftronger  marks  of  a  lefs  honourable  origin, 
than  this  compofition  in  queftion.  Though 
the  ftyle  and  plan  of  this  hymn  appears  to 
me  (as  well  as  to  the  celebrated  editor)  infe- 
rior to  Homer,  and  in  fome  places  unworthy 

•  p.  VII.  &  VIII.  Scholiaftes  Nicandri  ad  Alexiph 

Grammaticus  vetus  apud  AUatium  de  Patr.  Hooi.  &c. 
Prtef. 

Vol.  II.  G  of 


^ 


82  TRAVELS    IKTO  JIUSSIA.         ft.  jt 

of  him ;  yet  this  argum^t,  depipnding  on  the 
tafte  and  feelings  of  the  reader,  will  not 
i^perate  on  all  with  equal  force  j  nor  W;iU  even 
they  who  allow  its,  inferiority  to  the  other 
produdions  of  the  divine  poet>  be  immedi- 
ately inclined  to  grant  the  conclufion,  that  it 
is  not  his  work  5  bpcai^e  that  obJLeftion  may 
be  removed  by  fuppofing,  that  Homer  might 
ij2r^-n©^e  particular  compofition  fall  below 
his  ufiial  ftandard  of  perfection.  A  ftronger 
proof  igainft  its  originality  may  be  drawn  from 
the  words,  phtiafes,  and  inflexions  occurring 
in  this  poem,  which  are  either  of  a  later  date 
than  the  age  of  Homer,  or  not  found  in  his 
unfufpedted  works.  Some  of  thefe  the  editor 
has  enumerated  *. 

♦  The  hymn  to  Ceres  has  fufFercd  many  mutilations 
and  corruptions.  It  mayiiot  be  improper  to  produce  ao 
inftance.  Among  other  particular^,  in  which  tliis  hymn 
refembles  the  Iliad  and  OdyfTcy,  one  of  the  moft  confpi- 
cuous  is  that  pronenefs  to  iteration,  which  makes  a  diftin* 
guifhing  feature  of  Homer.  The  author  of  this  hymn,  from 
V.  443  to  447  inclufive,  mentions  the  promifes  which 
Jupiter  commiflions  Rhea  to  make  in  his  name  to  Ceres  | 
thefe  Rhea  repeats,  v.  461 — ^464,  The  465th  verfe  con- 
fiding of  the  fame  words  with  the  447^1,  the  copier  of  the 
poem  abfurdly  tranfcribed  the  five  following  lines  (v.  448 
— 452),  and  probably ,  omitted  at  leaft  as  many,  which 
originally  connedcd  this  part  with  the  fequcl. 

The 


C  $.  MOSCOW.  ^J 

The  claflical  reader,  who  is  defirous  of  fur- 
ther information  relative  to  the  genuinenefs 
of  this  antient  poem,  is  referred  to  the  laft 
edition  of  the  hymn  hj  Ruhnkenius,  and  to 
the  preface  of  Mr.  Hole's  Tranllation  *• 

*  Homer's  Hymn  to  Ceres  tranflated  into  Englifh  verfc 
hy  Richard  Hole,  LL»  B. 


G  2  chap; 


84  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA^         8,3 


C   H   A   P.      VL 

Retail  trade  in  the  Khit^igovoA.^^Market  fof 
thefale  ofhoufes. — Expedition  ufed  in  building 
wooden  JiruSlures .— 'Excellence  of  the  police 
in  cafes  of  riot'  or  fire. ^Chefs  very  com^ 
mon  in  KufCi^.— -Account  of  the  Foundling 
Hofpitsl.'-^ Excur/ion  to  the  monafiery  of  the 
Holy  Trinity.— Z)^/^/  of  the  pofi. — De^ 
fcription  of  the  monq/iery. — Tomb  of  Maria 
titular  queen  ^Livonia. — The  hifiory  of  that 
queen  and  of  her  hujband  Magnus. — Tomb 
and  character  of  Boris  Goiiunof. 

O  S  C  O  W  is  die  center  of  the  inland 
commerce  of  Ruffia,  and  particularly 
connects  the  trade  between  Europe  and  Si- 
beria, 

The  navigation  to  this  city  is  formed  folely 
by  the  Molkva,  which,  falling  into  the  Occa 
near  Colomna,  communicates  by  means  of 
that  river  with  the  Volga*.  But,  as  the 
Mofkva  is  only  navigable   in   Spring,   upon 

*  For  the  communication  of  the  Volga  with  the  Baltic, 
fee  the  chapter  on  the  Inland  Navigation  of  Ruffia  in  the 
next  VQlumc. 

the 


M 


ۥ6,  MOSCOW.  85 

the  melting  of  the  fnows,  the  priiKipal  mer- 
chandize is  conveyed  to  and  from  Mofcow 
upon  fledges  in  winter. 

The  whole  retail  commerce  of  this  city  is 
carried  on  in  the  Khitaigorod,  where,  accord- 
ing- to  a  cuftom  common  in  Ruflia,  as  well  as 
in  moft  kingdoms  of  the  Eaft,  all  the  fhops : 
are  collefted  together  in  onefpot.  The  place; 
is  like  a  kind  of  fair,  confifting  of  many  rows 
of  low  brick  buildings;  the  interval  between 
them  refembling  alleys.  Thefe  fhops  or- 
booths  occupy  a  confiderable  fpace  j  they  do 
not,  as  with  us,  make  part  of  the  houies  in- 
habited by  the  tradefmen,  but  are  quite  de- 
tached from  their  dwellings,  which  for  the 
mofl:  part  are  at  fome  diflancc  in  another 
quarter  of  the  town.  The  tradefman  comes 
to  his  fhop  in  the  morning,  remains  there  all 
day,  and  returns  home  to  his  family  in  the 
afternoon.  Every  trade  has  its  feparatc  de- 
partment ;  and  they  who  fell  the  fame  goods 
have  booths  adjoining  to  each  other.  Furs* 
and  {kins  form  the  moft  confiderable  article 
of  commerce  in  Mofcow  ^  and  the  fhops 
which  vend  thofe  commodities  occupy  feveral 
ftreets. 

Among  the  curiofities  of  Mofcow,  I  muft 
not  omit  the  market  for  the'fale  of  houfes. 

G  3  It 


fi5  TRAVELS   INTO   RUSSIA.       B;  3^, 

It  is  held  ia  a  large  open  ipacc  in  one  of 
the  fuburbs,  and  exhibits  a  great  variety  of 
ready-made  houfes,  thickly  ftrewed  upon  the 
ground.  The  purchafer  who  wants  a  dwell- 
ing, repairs  to  this  fpot ;  mentions  the  num- 
ber of  rooms  he  requires  5  examines  the  dif- 
ferent timbers,  which  are  regularly  numbered ; 
and  bargains  for  that  which  fuits  his  purpofe. 
The  houfe  is  fometimes  paid  for  upon  the 
fpot,  and  taJccn  away  by  the  purchafer ;  or 
Ibmetimes  the  vender  contracts  to  tran^rt 
and  ereft  it  upon  the  place  where  it  is  dcfign- 
ed  to  ftand.  It  may  feem  incredible,  that  a 
dwelling  may  be  thus  bought,  removed,  raif- 
od,  and  inhabited,  within  the  fpace  of  a  week ; 
bu.t  it  will  appear  eafily  prafticable  by  con- 
fid^ring  that  thefe  ready-made  houfes  are  in 
general  merely  coUedlions  of  trunks  of  trees* 
tenanted  and  mortaifed  at  each  extremity  into 
one  another,,  fo  that  nothing  more  is  required 
than  the  labour  of  tranfporting  and  adjufling 
t^em. 

But  this  fummary  mode  of  building  is  not 
.  always  peculiar  to  the  meaner  hovels ;  as 
WQoden  ftrudures  of  very  large  dimenfions 
and  handfome  appearance  are  occaiionally 
fermed  in  Ruffia  with  an  expedition,  almoft 
inconceivable  to  the  inhabitants  of  other 
12  countries. 


c.  6.  hi  6  i  t  o  yr.  87 

Countries,  A  relnarkabk  inftance  of  this 
dilpatch  was  difplayed  the  laft  time  the  em- 
prefs  came  to  Mofcow.  Her  majefty  pro^ 
pofed  to  refide  in  the  manfion  of  prince  Ga- 
litzin,  which  is  efteemcd  the  completeft  edifice 
in  this  city;  but  as  it  was  not  fufBciently 
ipacious  for  her  reception,  a  temporary  ad- 
dition of  wood,  larger  than  the  original  houfe, 
and  containing  a  magnificent  fuite  of  apart- 
ments, was  begun  and  finifhed  within  the 
Ipace  of  fix  weeks.  This  meteor-like  fabrick 
was  fo  handfome  and  commodious,  that  the 
materials  were  taken  down  at  her  majefty's 
departure,  in  order  to  be  re-conflrufted,  upon 
an  eminence  near  the  city,  as  a  kind  of  impe- 
rial villa. 

In  Mofcow  I  Qbferved  an  admirable  police 
for  preventing  riots,  or  for  flopping  the  con- 
courfe  of  people  in  cafe  of  fires,  which  are 
very  frequent  and  violent  in  thofe  parts,  wh^e 
the  houies  are  moftly  of  wood,  and  the  ftreets 
are  laid  with  timber.  At  the  entrance  of 
each  ftreet  there  is  a  chevaux-de'-frixe  gate, 
one  end  whereof  turns  upon  a  pivot,  and 
the  other  rolls  upon  a  wheel ;  near  it  is  a 
centry-box,  in  which  a  man  is  occafionally' 
Rationed.    Ii>  times  of  riot  or  fire  the  centinel 

G  4  fliuts* 


' 


SS  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  3, 

fhuts  the  gate,  and  all  paflage  is  immediately 
flopped. 

Chefs  is  fo  common  in  Ruflia,  that  during; 
our  cpntinuance  at  Mofcpw,  I  fcarcely  entered 
into  any  company  where  parties  were  not 
engaged  in  that  diverfion  j  and  I  very  frequent- 
ly obf^rved,  in  my  pafTage  through  the  ftreets, 
the  tradefmen  and  common  people  playing  it 
before  the  doors  of  their  fhops  or  houfes. 
The  Ruffians  are  cfteeined  great  proficients 
in  chefs.     With  thepi  the  queen  h?is,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  other  mores,  that  of  the  knight, 
which,  according  to  Phillidor,  fpoils  the  game, 
but  which  certainly  renders  it  more  compli- 
cated and  difficult,  and  of  courfe  more  inter- 
efting.     The  Ruffians  have  alfo  a  method  of 
playing  at   chefs  with  four    perfons  at  the 
fame  time,  two  againft   two  5  and  for  this 
purpofe  the  board  is  longer  than  ufual,  con- 
tains  more  men,   and   is  provided    with   a 
greater  number  of  fquares.     I  was  infoi'med, 
that  this  mod?  of  playing  is  more  difficult, 
but  far  more  agreeable^  than  the  common 
manner. 

Among  the  public  inftitutIo;is  of  Mofcow, 
the  moft  remarkable  is  the  Foundling  Hof- 
pital,  endowed  in  1764  by  the  prefent  emprefs;^. 
and  fupported  by  voluntary  contributions  and 

legacies. 


C*  6.  MOSCOW.  89 

legacies,  and  other  charitable  gift§.  In  ordg: 
to  encourage  donations,  her  majefty  grants 
to  all  benefactors  fome  valuable  privileges,  and 
a  certain  degree  of  rank  in  proportion  to  the 
extent  of  their  liberality.  Among  the  princi- 
pal contributors  is  a  private  merchant,  named 
Dimidof  *,  a  perfon  of  great  wealth,  who  has 
expended  in  favour  of  this  charity  about 
^.200,000.  The  hofpital,  which  is  iituated 
in  a  very  airy  part  of  the  town  upon  a  gentle 
afcent  near  the  river  Mofkva,  is  an  immenfc 
pile  of  building  of  a  quadrangular  fhape,  only 
part  of  which  was  finifhed  when  we  were  at 
Mofcow.  It  contained,  at  that  time,  3000 
foundlings  ;  and,  when  the  whole  is  comple- 
ted, will  receive  8000. 

The  children  are  brought  to  the  porter's 
lodge,  and  admitted  without  any  recommen- 
dation. The  rooms  are  lofty  and  large  ;  the 
dormitories,  which  are  feparate  from  the  work 
rooms,  are  very  airy,  and  the  beds  are  not  croud- 
cd :  each  foundling,  even  each  infant,  has  a  fepa- 
rate bed;  thebedfteads  are  of  iron;  the  fhectsare 
changed  every  week,  and  the  linen  three  times 

• 

♦  The  anceftors  of  this  gentleman  firft  difcovered  and 
worked  the  richeft  mines  of  Siberia;  from  whence  his 
ftmily  acquired  immenfe  riches, 

a  week* 


go  TRAVELS   INTO    RUSSIA,      B,  3^ 

a  week.  In  going  over  the  rooms,  I  was  par- 
ticularly ftruck  with  their  neatnefs ;  even  the 
nurferies  were  uncommonly  clean,  and  with- 
out any  unwholefome  fmells.  No  cradles 
are  allowed,  and  rocking  is  particularly  for- 
bidden.    The  infants  are  not  fwaddled  ac-» 

> 

cording  to  the  cuflom  of  the  country,  but 
loofely  drefTed. 

The  dire(5tor  obligingly  favoiired  us  with 
his  company,  and  fhewcd  us  the  foundlings 
at  their  refpedtive  works.     Immediately  upon 
his  appearance   the  children  crouded  round 
him ;  fome  took  hold  of  his  arm ;  fome  held 
by  his  coat ;  others  kifled  his  hand,  and  they 
all  cxprcfled  the  higheft  fatisfad:ion.     Thefe 
natural  and  unfeigned  marks  of  regard  were 
the  moft  convincing  proofs  of  his  mildnef? 
and  good-nature ;  for  children,  when  ill  ufed, 
naturally  crouch  before  thofe  who  have  the 
management  of  them.     I  could  be  no  judge 
merely  in  vifiting  the  hofpital,  whether  the 
children  were  well  inftrudted,  and  the  regula- 
tions well  obfei'ved ;  but  I  was  perfe<3:ly  con- 
vinced,, from  their  behaviour,  that  they  were 
in  general  happy  and  contented,  and  could 
perceive  from  their  looks  that  they  were  rc- 
ijiarfcably  healthy.     This  latter  circumftance 
muft  be  owing  to  the  uncommon  care,  which 

is 


c.  6.  MOSCOW.  5i 

is  paid  to  cleanlinefs  both  in  their  perlbns 
and  rooms. 

The  foundlings  are  divided  into  feparate 
claffes,  according  to  their  reljpedive  ages. 
The  children  remain  in  the  nm-fery  two  ye^s^ 
at  the  end  of  which  term  they  are  admitted 
into  the  loweft  clafs ;  the  boys  and  girls  con^ 
tinue  together  until  they  are  feven  years  of 
age,  at  which  period  th^  are  feparated-  Both 
fexes  are  inflruded  in  reading,  writing,  and 
calling  accounts.  The  boys  are  taught  to 
knit ;  they  occafionaUy  card  hemp,  flax,  and 
wool,  and  work  in  the  different  manufactures. 
The  girls  learn  to  knit,  net,  and  perform,  all- 
kinds  of  needle-work  j  they  fpin  and  weave 
lace;  and  are  employed  in  cookery,  bakings 
and  houle-work  of  all  forts. 

At  the  age  of  fourteen  the  foundlings  enter 
into  the  firft  clafs ;  and  have  then  the  liber^ 
of  chufing  any  particular  branch  of  trade : 
for  which  purpofe  there  are  different  fpeciesr 
of  manufactures  eflablifhed  in  the  hofpital^ 
of  which  the  principal  are  embroidery,  filk 
flockings,  ribbands,  lace,,  gloves,  buttons^ 
and  cabinet-work.  A  feparate  room  is  ap- 
propriated to  each  trade.  Some  boys  and:  girls 
are  inflruded  in  the  French  and  German  lan^ 
guages,  and  a  few  of  the  former  in  the  Latin 

tongue ; 


gi  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA*        B.  J^ 

tongue;  others  learn  mufic,  drawing,  and 
dancing.  About  the  age  of  twenty,  the 
foundlings  receive  a  fum  of  money,  and  feveral 
other  advantages,  which  enable  them  to  fol- 
low their  trade  in  any  part  of  the  empire : 
a  very  confiderable  privilege  in  Ruffia,  where 
the  peafants  are  flaves,  and  cannot  leave 
their  village  without  the  permiflion  of  their 
mafter. 

In  another  vifit  which  I  paid  to  this  hos- 
pital, I  faw  the  foundlings  at  dinner :  the  girls 
and  boys  dine  feparately.  The  dining  rooms,, 
which  are  upon  the  ground-floor,  are  large 
and  vaulted,  and  diftind:  from  their  work 
rooms.  The  firft  clafs  (it  at  table;  the  reft 
ftand ;  the  little  children  are  attended  by  Ser- 
vants ;  but  thofe  of  the  firft  and  fecond  clafs 
alternately  wait  upon  each  other.  The  din- 
ger confifted  of  beef  and  mutton  boiled  in 
broth,  with  rice ;  I  tafted  both,  and  they 
were  remarkably  good :  the  bread  was  very 
fweet,  and  was  baked  in  the  houfe,  chiefly  by 
the  foundlingSe  Each  foundling  has  a  nap- 
kin, pewter-plate,  a  knife,  .fork,  and  fpoon  : 
the  napkin  and  table-cloth  are  clean  three 
times  in  the  week.  They  rife  at  fix,  dine  at 
eleven,  and  fup  at  fix.  The  little  children 
have  bread  at  feven,  and  at  four.     When  they 

are 


/ 
/ 


t.  6.  MOSCOW..  ^^ 

are  not  employed  in  their  neceflary  occupa* 
tions,  the  utmoft  freedom  is  allowed,  and  they 
are  encouraged  to  be  as  much  in  the  air  as 
poflible.  The  whole  was  a  lovely  fight ;  and 
the  countenances  of  the  children  exprefled 
the  utmoft  content  and  happinefs. 

In  the  hofpital  there  is  a  theatre,  in  which 
the  feveral  decorations  are  the  work  of  the 
foundlings :  they  conflrudled  the  ftage,  painted 
the  fcenes,  and  made  the  drefles.  I  was  prefent 
at  the  reprefentation  of  the  Honnete  Criminel^ 
and  the  comic  opera,  Le  Devin  du  Village^ 
both  tranflated  into  the  Ruffian  tongue.  Not 
underftanding  the  language,  I  could  be  no 
judge  whether  they  fpoke  with  propriety; 
but  I  was  Turprized  at  the  eafe  with  which 
they  trod  the  ftage,  and  was  pleafed  with  the 
gracefulnefs  of  their  adtion*  There  were  fome 
agreeable  voices  in  the  opera.  The  orcheftra 
was  filled  with  a  band  by  no  means  con-. 
temptible,  which  confifted  entirely  of  found- 
lings, excepting  the  firft  violin,  who  was  their 
mufic-mafter.  On  this  occafion  the  play 
was  not,  as  ufual,  concluded  with  a  ballet, 
becaufe  the  principal  performer  was  indifpof- 
ed,  which  was  no  fmall  difappointment ;  as 
we  were  informed  that  they  dance  ballets  with 
great  tafte  and  elegance.     The  emprefs,  I  am 

told. 


94  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       »•  5. 

told,  is  indaced  to  countenance  theatrical  re- 
prcfentations  in  a  fcminary  of  this  kind,  from 
a  dcfire  of  diffufing  among  her  fubjedts  that 
fpecks  of  entertainmeht,  which  fhe  confiders 
a  means  of  civilization,  and  of  enriching  the 
Ruffian  theatres  with  a  conftant  fupply  of 
performers. 

Many  and  great  are  the  advantages  of  this 
excellent  charity.  It  difFufes  a  knowledge 
of  the  arts  among  the  people ;  •  increafes 
the  number  of  free  fubjefts;  and  above  all 
has  confiderably  diminifhed  the  horrid  prac- 
tice of  deftroying  infants,  fo  prevalent  in  thefe 
parts  before  the  inftitution  of  this  hofpital. 

We  were  unwilling  to  quit  this  part  of  the 
country  without  vifiting  Troitfkoi  Klofter,  or 
the  monaftery  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  which  is 
diftinguiflied  in  the  annals  of  this  country  as 
the  afylum  for  the  Ruffian  fovereigns  in  cafes 
of  infurredtion  and  danger ;  and  is  more  par- 
ticularly known  to  foreigners  for  the  refuge 
it  afforded  to  Peter  the  Great,  when  he 
put  an  end  to  the  adminiftration  of  his  lifter 
Sophia  *. 

The  diftance  from  Mofcow  to  the  monaftery 
feeing  forty  miles,  we  ordered  poft-horfes  to 

*  See  Chap.  VIU. 

be 


r 


C.  6.  MOSCOW.*^'  95 

be  ready  at  live  in  the  morning,  with  an  in- 
tention of  viewing  the  convent,  and  returning 
to  this  city  by  night.  We  thought  that 
we  fhould  eafily  have  made  this  excurfion 
in  the  time  propofed:  but  obftacles  conti- 
nually occur  in  foreign  countries,  unforefeen 
by  thofe  who  are  not  fufficiently  acquainted 
with  the  manners  of  Ae  natives;  and  an 
ignorance  of  the  moft  trivial  circumftances, 
which  better  information  might  eafily  have 
obviated,  produces  confiderable  cmbarraff- 
ments.  Some  petty  diftrefles  of  this  nature 
lengthened  our  expedition  from  one  to  three 
days. 

We  rofe  at  five  in  the  morning,  but  were 
detained  by  the  want  of  poft^horfes,  which 
we  found  great  difiiculty  in  procuring,  not-* 
withftanding  that  our  orders  for  them  were 
figned  both  by  the  governor  of  the  province 
$nd  of  the  city;  and  although  we  impor- 
tuned the  poft-mafter  with  repeated  meflages* 
The  cafe  is,  th^t  as  the  price  for  the  hire 
of  horfes  is  very  inconfiderable,  the  owners 
can  employ  tbem  in  other  fervices  to  greater 
advantage :  and  on  this  account  a  ftrangcr, 
unlefs  he  is  accompanied  with  a  Ruffian 
foldier  to  quicken  the  expedition  of  thofe 
fi^ho  furnifii  the  poft,  muft  neceflarily  meet 

with 


96  TKAVfiLS    INTO   RtfSSIA.         i.  p 

with  infinite  delays.  We  were,  indeed^ 
ftrongly  advifed  by  fome  of  our  acquaint- 
ance to  ufe  this  precaution ;  but,  thinking 
that  we  ihould  have  no  occafion  for  it  during 
fo  fliort  a  journey,  we  imprudently  omitted  it^ 
to  our  great  inconvenience,  as  we  foon  expe- 
rienced. 

After  waiting  nine  hours,  we  at  length 
thought  ourfelves  fortunate  in  feeing  the 
poft-horfes  make  their  appearance  about  two' 
in  the  afternoon  i  and  fet  oiF  with  an  ex-' 
pc(Sation  of  proceeding  without  interruption 
to  Bretoffhina,  where  we  knew  that  a  relay 
was  waiting  for  us.  But  our  drivers  flopped 
at  a  village  only  four  miles  from  Mofcow; 
and  peremptorily  refufed  to  carry  us  any  far- 
ther. In  vain  we  produced  our  order  for 
horfcs  5  they  contended  that  it  authorized  us 
only  to  take  them  from  village  to  village ; 
and  upon  the  ftrength  of  that  conftru<5tion 
returned  without  further  ceremony  to  Mof- 
cow.  Two  hours  more  were  now  employed^ 
and  much  broken  Ruffian  fpoken  by  our' 
Bohemian  interpreter,  before  we  were  able 
to  prevail  upon  the  inhabitants  of  the  place 
to  fupply  us  with  horfes,  who  depofited  us 
in  a  village  about  the  diftance  of  three 
miles ;  where  all   the  old  procefs  of  alter- 

cation^ 


C*  6.  M    O    S    G    O    W4  97 

cation,  threats,  and  pfomifes,  •  were  agaiii 
renewed-  In  this  manner  we  -continued 
.wrangling  and  proceeding  from  village  to 
village,  which  were  thickly  fcattered  in  this 
part  of  the  country,  until  near  midnight, 
when  we  found  ourfelves  at  Klifma,  only 
.  ieventeen  miles  from  Mofcow,  and  where 
,we  took  up  our  lodging  in  a  peafant's  cot- 
tage.  Our  Bohemian  fertant  having  fortu- 
nately devoted  great  part  of  the'  night  to 
rambling  to  different  houfes,  and  adjufting 
the  difficult  negotiation  for  frefti  horfes,  we 
were  able  to  depart  almofl  by  day-break ; 
and  bad  the  flill  farther  ^tisfadion  to  pafs 
over  tht/immenfe  fpace  of  feven  miles  without 
either  halt  or  delay;  fo  that  by  eight  in  the 
mtorning  we  reached,  much  to  pur  furprize, 
Bretof fhina,  which  ftands  about  half-way  ber 
tween  Mofcow  and  the  convent*  Here  we 
found  a  Ruffian  ferjeant^  whom  prince  Vpl^- 
konfki  had  obligingly  lent  forwards  to  pro- 
cure the  horfes,  which  he  had  promifed  we 
fhould  find  in  this  place,  and  to  accompaUsy 
us  during  the  remainder  of  our  journey :  the 
experience  of  the  preceding  day  had  taught  us 
the  value  of  this  military  attendant. 

At  Bretofjfhina  we  viewed  a  palace  built 

by  Alexey  Miehadoyitch,  in  which  he  fre- 

,  Vol,  II.  H  quently 


"1 


98  TRAVELS    l^lro    RUSSIA.  B.  3. 

quently  rcfide^ :  it  is  a  long  wooden  building, 
•painted  fellow,  only  one  ftory  in  height, 
containing  a  fuite  of  fmall  and  low  rooms. 
This  palace  (if  it  deferves  that  name)  has 
long  been  uninhabited.  The  eimprefs,  pleafed 
with  the  beauty  of  the  fituation,  and  refpeA- 
ing  a  place  which  had  once  been  the  favou- 
rite Fefidence  of  Peter  the  Great's  father^  pur- 
pofed  to  build  a  large  brick  palace  near  tlie 
fite  of  the  old  manfion;  and  part  of  tlfe 
:  matferials  were  already  collected  for  that  pur- 
'  pbfe.  Upon  our  return  to  the  village  we 
ordered  the  horfes,  and  were  pleafed  to  find 
our  order  obeyed  alnaoft  as  ibon  as  it  was 
iffued :  we  had,  indeed,  a  very  fuccefsful 
^gefit  in  our  friend  the  ferjeantj  for  the 
|)eafants,  who  were  beginning  to  wrangle 
among  tiiemfelves,  and  to  make  their  ufual 
-^tercations,  were  inftantly  difperfed  by  his 
cudgel,  whofe  eloquence  was  more  perfuafive 
than  the  moft  pathetic  remonftrances.  The 
toors  were  certainly  accuftomed  to  this  fpecies 
of  rhetorick;  for  they  bore  it  patiently,  and 
with  perfecft  good-humour ;  and,  the  moment 
th^  were  feated  upon  the  box,  began  whitt- 
ling and  finging  their  national  fongs  as  ufual  r 
'We  now  toh tinned  our  route,  and  arrived 
at  the  convent,  though  cliftant  from  Bretof- 

ihi(U 


fliina  about  twenty  miles,  without  once  flop- 
ping to  change  horfes, 

Troiffkoi  Sergiejf  KloAer,  or  the  ^lonaftery 
of  th?  Holy  Trinity,  is  fo  large  as  at  a  little 
diftance  to  have  the  appearance  of  a  fmall 
town  5  and,  like ,  many  convents  in  this 
cpuptry,  is  ftrpngly  fortified,  according  to 
thp  antient  mode  of  defence,  being  furronnded 
witji  high  brick  walls,  flrengthened  with  b^t- 
j^ioaient?  and  tow«rs.  The  parapet  is  rpo^l 
with  wood,  and  the  walls  and  towers  ?ire 
pfgvyed  with  holes  for  mufkets  and  cannon  ; 
the  whole  is  furrounded  by  a  deep  ditch* 
This  pjftipe  withj3:po4  jfeveral  fi^ges  i  and  par- 
ticularly Raffled  ^1  the  effort^  of  Ladiflaus 
pfinc^  of  Ppiai^i  who  attacked  it  with  ^ 
large  army. 

j^e^fide  the  cpn\^nt  or  ^abitatic^  for  thfi 
IPpnks,  the  waUs  eiiclpfe  an  iijnp^rj^J  p4^9P> 
and  ni^ne  large  c^^urcfees  conflruxaed  by  dif^ 
ferent  fbvereigns.  The  convent  is  ^  l^ge 
jrang©  of  building  encircling  a  cpurt,  an4  is 
far  too  fpacious  for  the  pref^t  inhabi^nt$ : 
it  formerly  contained  300  monks,  tqgqthc^r 
with  a  proportionate  number  of  fti|dentS| 
ajid  was  the  richefl  ecclefiaflical  foundation 
in  Ruffia.  The  frnte^nity  pofleffe^  cpnfi- 
derabJe   eftates,    upon   which  were  ^t   leaft 

H  2  100,000 


lOO         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA,        8*3. 

1 00,000  peafants  :  thefe  eftates,^  as  well  as 
all  the  other  church-lands,  being  now  an- 
nexed to  the  crown,  the  members  receive 
fmall  penfions.  With  their  revenues  their 
number  has  been  greatly  diminished,  and 
they  fcarcely  amount  at  prefent  to  100  monks. 
Their  habit  is  black,  with  a  veil  of  the  fame 
colour ;  they  eat  no  meat,  and  the  difcipline 
of  the  order  is  very  ftri<5t.  Within  the  con- 
vent is  a  feminary  for  thS  education  of  per- 
fons  intended  for  the  clergy;  which  con- 
tained, as  we  were  informed,  about  200 
Undents. 

/The  imperial  palace,  which  was  much 
frequented  when  the  fovereign  refided  at 
Mofcow,  is  fmall;  one  of  the  apartments 
is  ornamented  with  reprefentations  in  ftucco 
of  the  principal  adtions  of  Peter  the  Great. 
•The  nine  churches,  like  all  the  other  facred 
edifices  which  fell  under  my  obfervation,  are 
fuperb  and  fplendid,  and  extremely  rich  in 
gold  and  filver  ornaments,  and  coftly  veft- 
ments.  The  principal  church  has  a  cupola 
and  four  domes;  the  former  is  of  copper 
gilt,  the  latter  of  tin  or  iron  painted  green. 
We  afcended  a  new  belfry,  built  by  the 
emprefs  Elizabeth,  which  is  not  an  inelegant 
piece  of  architecture:   it  commands  a   fine 

view 


^ 


C.6.  MOSCOW.  lOl 

view  of  the  adjacent  country,  Which  is  gently 
waving,  richly  cultivated,  producing  much 
grain,  and  thickly  ftrewed  with  villages. 
The  archimandrite  or  abbot  of  the  mo- 
nailery  being  abfent,  we  could  not  obtain 
permiffion  to  fee  the  library,  which  occaiioned 
ibme  regret,  becaufe,  according  to  Bufching, 
it  contains  a  curious  colle<5tion  of  books  *. 

In  the  principal  church  a  few  tombs  drew 
my  attention. 

The  firft  was  that  of  Maria  queen  of  Li- 
vonia, probably  the  only  perfon  who  ever 
bore  that  title,  an  empty  honour,  which  flic 
may  truly  be  faid  to  have  purchafed  at  a  dear 
rate,  Maria,  lineally  defcended  from  Ivan  Vaf- 
filievitch  I.  was  a  relation  of  Ivan  11.  as  wijl 
appear  by  the  following  genealogical  table. 

Ivan  Vassilievitch  I. 

I 
J  I 

Vassili  IVANOviTCH.  Andreav  Ivanovitch  of 

*— — ,  Staritza,  died  1537* 

1  ^ 

Ivan  Vassilievitch  II.  | 

Vlapimjr  Andrevitch, 
died  1570* 

Maria,  married  to  Magnut. 

Eudokia; 
♦  ^ufching's  Erd-befchreibung,  v.  I.  p.  852. 

H  3  She 


lOi  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B,  3, 

She  tfponikd,  in  1573,  Magnus  dttke  of 
flolftein  *,  snd  titular  king  of  Livonia,  who 
was  raifed  to  that  dignity  by  Ivan  Yaffi- 
lievitch  II »  in  a  very  extraordinary  marii^er. 
Livonia,  bordenng  upon  Ruffia,  Swedbn, 
and  Poland,  and  reciprocally  claimed  and 
poffeffed  by  thofe  three  powers^  was,  in  the 
middle  of  the  fixteenth  century,  partly  ffce^ 
partly  fubjedl  to  Poland>  and  partly  to  the 
Swedes,  when  the  tzar  made  an  irruption  into 
that  province,  and  conquered  a  fmall  portion. 
Well  acquainted,  however,  with  the  avcrfion 
of  the  natives   to  the  Ruffian   fceptrei   he 

*  This  Magnus  Was  fon  of  Chrjfti^n  III.  king  of 
penmark  j  and  is  known  in  hiftory  by  feveral  different 
appellations.  He  is  fometimes  ftyled  king  of  Livonia, 
from  his  mock-foverejgnty  in  that  country  j  fometimes 
fjuke  pf  Holftein,  from  his  inheriting  a  portion  of  that 
duchy  upon  the  deceafe  of  his  father  j  and  bifhop  of  ^fel, 
from  his  exchanging  ^lis  part  of  Hdftcin  for  tke  bjfhop- 
ricks  of  iEfel  and  Courland,  which  he  fecularized.  HoU 
berg,  the  Danilh  hiftorian,  mentions  a  bond  for  150Q 
marks,  which  wa3  thus  figned.  ^'  We  Magous,  by  the 
f*  grace  of  God,  Lord  of  iEfel  ^nd  Wick,  Bifhop  of 
^*  Courland,  Adminiftrator  of  the  bilhoprick  of  Reval^ 
«*  Heir  of  Norway,  Duke  of  Schlefwick,  Holftein,  Stor- 
^  mar^  and  Ditmarfh,  Count  of  Oldenburgh  and  Delmcn- 
«*  hurft,"  Titles,  as  the  hiftorians  remark,  which  could 
not  procure  him  even  a  fmall  fum  of  money  without  his 
t)ond,    ftolbcrg^  v.  IL  p.  488. 

declared. 


declared,  that  he  had  entered  thfiir  country 
with  no  interefted  views;  t|iat  he  had  nq 
other  ambition  than  to  refcue  them  from 
the  Swedifh  yoke;  th^t  he,  renouncing  all 
right  of  conqueft,  would  only  ftyle  himfclf 
their  protedor:  he  propofed  at  the  fame 
time  that  they  fhould  cleft  for  their  fove-^ 
reign  Magnus,  whofe  hrother,  Frederic  !!• 
king  of  Denmark,  had  ([>ixxc  pretcnfions  to 
Livonia.  This  propofal  being  cheerfully 
complied  with  by  a  great  party  anaong  the 
natives ;  the  tzar  diipatchcd  an  cmbafly  to 
Magnus,  who  accepted  the  proffered  crown, 
and  repaired  withqut  delay  to  Mofcow,  where 
he  was  formally  inftalled  in  his  new  dignity, 
upon  condition  of  efpoufing  Maria,  and  of 
paying  an  annual  tribute  to  the  tzar. 

Magnus,  however,  was  ftill  only  a  titular 
fovercign,  being  oppofed  by  the  Swedes,  who 
maintained  a  large  army  in  Livonia,  ?nd  not 
unanimoufly  acknowledged  even  by  the  na- 
tives. After  a  fruitlefs  attempt  to  take  pof- 
leffion  of  his  crown,  he  continued  to  difplay 
his  mock  dignity  at  Mofcow.  At  length, 
in  1577,  being  efcorted  to  Livonia  by  the 
tzar,  at  the  head  of  50,000  troops,  he  ob- 
tained the  town  of  Wenden  and  the  adjacent 

H  4  territoiy^ 


I04         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  3. 

territory,  the  remainder  of  the  province  being 
referved  to  Ruffia. 

Magnus  was  fcarcely  admitted  into  Wenden, 
where  he  was  received  with  great  demonftra- 
tions  of  joy,  than,  defpifing  a  precarious  and 
dependant  Ibvereignty,  he  was  prevailed  upon 
by  his  new  fubjeds,  ever  averfe  to  the  Ruffian 
yoke,  to  form  a  fecret  alliance  with  the  king 
of  Poland,  and  to  counteract  the  tzar's  pro- 
grefs  in  Livonia.  Ivan,  apprized  of  this  ne- 
gotiation, determined  to  chaftife  the  perfidy 
of  ^Magnus,  by  precipitating  *him  from  that 
throne,  which  he  had  fo  lately  affiftcd  him  in 
afciending.  With  this  view  he  laid  imme- 
diate fiege  to  Wenden  with  fo  numerous 
an  army,  that  the  inhabitants,  finding  all 
oppofition  inefFe<ftual,  propofed  to  capitulate. 
Magnus  himfelf  carried  the  terms  of  capi- 
tulation, and,  advancing  to  fupplicate  the 
incenfed  monarch,  threw  himfelf  at  his  feet, 
and  interceded  for  the  town.  The  tzar, 
ipurning  at  hipi  with  his  foot  *,  and  ftriking 

him 

*  Hennjng,  author  of  the  Livonian  Chronicle,  relates 
this  tranfadion  more  to  the  honour  of  Ivan.  He  is  thus 
quoted  by  the  authors  of  the  Univerfal  Hiftory,  vol.  XXXV. 
p.  242.  *^  The  tzar  laid  fiege  to  the  pla^e,  till,  2X  the 
*^  earneft  r^queft  of  the  citizens,  Magnus,  with  only  a  few 
*'  attend^ts,  wen^  into  the  tzar's  camp,  and,  falling  on 

^*his 


c.  6.  MOSCOW.  [105 

him  in  the  face,  loaded  him  with  reproaches 
for  his  ingratitude,  and  ordered  him  to  prifon^  - 
then  entering  the  town,  his  troops  committed 
every  fpecies  of  horror  and  devaftation.  Many 
of  the  principal  inhabitants,  retiring  into  the 
citadel,  determined  to  defend  it  to  the  laft 
extremity;  but  foon  perceiving  all  refiftance 
to  be  fruitlefs,  and  expecting  no  quarter,  they 
calmly  aflfembled,  received  the  facrament,  andi 

^^his  knees,  begged  pardon  for  himfelf  and  the  citjr. 
^^  B^lowitz  no  fobner  faw  the  king  of  Livonia  thus 
•*  proftrate  before  him,  than  he  difijnounted  from  his  horfe, 
^'  and  defired  him  to  rife,  returned  him  his  fword,  and, 
*'  after  reproaching  him  with  the  ingratitude  of  his  late 
"  condu£^  freely  pardoned  him  and  the  city,  and  affured 
*^  them  of  his  prote£tion.  At  this  inftant  a  cannon  ball 
**  from  the  caftle  narrowly  miffed  killing  the  tzar ;  which 
**  fo  incenfed  him,  that  he  mounted  his  horfe  and  rode 
*'  away  dire£Uy,  fwearing  by  St.  Nicholas,  that  for  this 
^*  frefli  inftance  of  perfidy,  every  perfon  in  Wenden  fliould 
"  iuffer  death.  Magnus  was  then  put  under  an  arreft  in 
^^  a  &rm-houfe,  and  obliged  tofign  an  obligation,  by  which 
*'  he  engaged  to  pay  the  tzar  40,000  Hungarian  florins  by 
*'  the  next  Chriftmas,  as  a  fatisfeftion  for  the  money  taken 
**  from  Polubenlki ;  and  in  cafe  of  failure  of  payment  at 
**  that  time,  to  forfeit  double  the  fum,  and  remain  a  pri- 
**  foner  at  Mofcow  till  the  whole  fhould  be  difcharged." 
I  have  followed  the  principal  hiftorians  of  Sweden  and 
Denmark,  f|to  Heidenftein,  and  Oderborg,  who  feem  to  ' 
have  given  me  moft  probable  account  of  this  event. 

then 


10$  THAV.ELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       f.  3> 

then  deftroyfed  thcmfelves  by  blowitg  up  the 
citadel.  Thus  ended  the  kiftgdom  of  Li- 
vonia; four  y^rs  after  it  had  been  ere<fled 
into  a  fovcreignty.  Magnus,  who  thought 
himiyf  extrenikely  fortunate  to  obtain  his 
enliargement  upon  paying  a  confiderabk  fum 
fif  money,  repaired,  with  his  cotifort  Maria  i 
to  Pilten  in  Courland>  where  he  died  in  1 563^ 
in  extreme  diftr^s  K  After  the  death  of  her 
hufband,  Maria,  the  titular  queen  of  Livonia, 
was  eMiced  into  Ruflia,  and  thrown  into  a 
nunnery  with  her  only  daughter  Eudokia  -f. 
She  was  never  releafed  from  her  confinement, 
and  the  time  of  her  deceafe  is  uncertain. 
The  remains,  both  of  the  queen  and  her 
daughter,  were  depofited  in  die  convent  of 
the  Holy  Trinity. 

In  the  fame  church  repofe  the  aOies  of 
Boris  Feodorovitch  Godunof,  who,  upon  die 
demiie  of  Feodor  Ivanovitch  in  1597,  was 
raifed  from  a  private  ftation  to  the  throne  of 
Ruflia*  It  is' a  circumftance  extremely  fa- 
vourable to  a  virtuous  condu<St,  that  a  fovt-- 
reign  cannot  commit  one  flagrant  oiFencc  with- 

*  Holberg,  vol.  11.  p.  488. 

t  Fletcher's  State  of  Ruffia,  Chap.  V. 

out 


c.  6.  MOSCOW*  io7 

out  fuffering  the  imputation  of  many  odiers  % 
and  that  fuppoiititious  entities  are  always 
added  to  a<fts  of  real  tyranny.  This  ha^l 
been  the  fate  of  Boris  Godiinofi  who^  having 
defervedly  acquired  the  deteftation  of  pofterity 
by  the  perpetration  of  one  crime^  has  been 
unjuftly  branifed  with  infamy^  eten  for  dio£r 
aiStions  which  merit  the  higheil  applaufe. 

Boris  Godunof  was  defcended  from  a  Tartar 
anceftor,  who  came  into  Ruflia  in  1 329,  and^ 
having  embraced  Chriftianity,  affumed  the 
name  of  Zachary,  From  Simon  Godun^  cine 
of  his  defcendants,  the  family  was  known  by 
the  furname  of  Godunof,  and  became  greatly 
diftinguiihed  by  the  elevation  of  the  peribnagc 
who  is  now  under  confideration. 

Boris,  fbn  of  Feodor  Ivanovitch,  a  noble- 
man of  the  Ruffian  court,  was  born  in  1522 ; 
and  in  the  20th  year  of  his  age  was  appointed, 
by  Ivan  Vaffilievitch  IL  to  attend  the  pcribn 
of  his  fon  prince  Ivan :  being  fuccqffively 
promoted  to  higher  offices,  and  obtaining  ad- 
ditional influence  by  the  marriage  of  his  lifter 
Irene  with  Feodor  Ivanovitch ;  he  was,  upon 
that  pionarch's  fucceffion  to  the  throne, 
created  privy  counfellor,  mkftcr  of  the  horfe, 
and  inverted  with  the  Ible  diredion  of  affairs. 


I08  m.AVELS    INTO    RUSSIA,        B.  3. 

His  authority  was  fo  abfolute,  that  his  reign 
may  be  dated  from  the  acceffion  of  Feodor ; 
he  wanted  only  the  title  of  tzar;  and  the 
whole  adminiftration  of  government  muft  be 
attributed  to  him. 

Upon  the  death  of  Feodor  without  iflue> 
the  eledlion  fell  unanimoufly  upon  Boris  Go- 
dunof,  who  owed  his  elevation  to  the  high 
opinion  which  all  parties  entertained  of  his 
capacity  and  wifdom  ;  to  the  influence  of  his 
lifter  Irene ;  and  to  the  artful  manner  with 
which  he  affedled  to  decline,  while  he  was 
moft  ambitious  to  poffefs,  the  crown.  He 
deferved  his  elevation  by  his  confummate 
abilities  and  popular  manners ;  and,  for  his 
political  and  civil  deportment,  he  is  juftjy 
ranked  among  the  greateft  ftatefmen  of  his 
age. 

Happy  would  it  have  been  for  himfelf  and 
his  country,  if  he  had  united  moderatiop  and 
humanity  to  thefe  fplendid  qualities.  His 
perfecution  of  fevcral  noble  families,  who 
ftood  in  the  way  of  his  ambitious  defigns, 
and  ftill  more  the  aflaffination  *  of  Denae- 

♦  This  is  not  the  proper  place  to  inquire  whether  D^^ 
metrius  was  really  aflaffinated,  or  whether  he  efcaped,  for 
the  crime  of  Boris  was  the  fame,  whether  his  orders  were 
carried  into  execution,  or  eluded.    See  the  next  chapter. 

trius-» 


c.*6.  MOSCOW.  109 

trius,  brands  his  charafter  with  indelible  in- 
famy. But  while  we  admit  and  deteft  in 
this  inftance  the  full  extent  of  his  guilt, 
let  not  our  horror  at  this  tranfa^tion  induce 
us  to  mifreprefent  his  moft  laudable  adlions* 
Let  us  not  aflert  with  his  enemies,  that  in 
order  to  turn  the  attention  of  the  people 
from  the  cataftrophe  of  the  prince,  and  to 
ingratiate  himfelf  in  their  favour  by  an  ad:  of 
public  munificence,  he  purpofely  fet  fire  to 
ieveral  parts  of  Mofcow,  that  he  might  re- 
build them  at  his  own  ^xpence.  Nor  let 
us,  with  equal  abfurdity  and  injuftice,  accufe 
him  of  privately  inviting  the  khan  of  the 
Tartars  to  invade  Ruffia,  that  he  might 
occupy  the  public  with  a  foreign  war,  and 
acquire  frefh  glory  by  repelling  the  enemy. 

We  may  add  to  the  lift  of  his  fuppofititious 
crimes,  that  he  poifoned  Feodor  * :  for  the 

tzar 

*  I  am  at  a  lofs  to  Jcnow  wtere  the  compiler  of  the  ar- 
ticle of  RuiTia,  in  the  Univerfal  Hiftory,  obtained  .the  foj- 
lowing  anecdote.  *'  Theodore  died,  after  a  reign  of 
**  twelve  years,  not  without  fufpicion  of  having  been  poi- 
**  foned  by  his  brother-in-law.  The  czarina  feemed  fo 
*'  fenfible  of  this,  that  (he  ftrongly  reproached  her  brother, 
^^  Boris  Godunof,  with  the  'murder  of  her  hulband,  and 
"  would  never  fpeak  to  him  afterwards."     Vol.  XXXV. 

p.  273, 


no        TRAVPJ^S    IKTO    RUSSIA.         |t.  3. 

tzar  h$td  long  laboured  under  a  declining  ilate 
<xf  health  1^ ;  and,  the  year  before  his  death, 
h^d  requeued  a  phyfician  frpm  England 'f-. 
Even  his  paternal  attention  ami  unbounded 
generoiity  towards  his  fubjeds  during  a  fa- 
mine, which,  fpon  after  his  elevation  to  the 
dirone,  defolated  Moicow,  has  been  turned 
^  an  accufation  s^gainft  14m ;  for  prejudice 
h;3i$  not  been  wa^j^ing  tp  infinuate,  that,  from 
an  abfurd  <ielicacy,  he  would  not  permit 
^dgners  to  fupply  the  Rufiians  in  their 
•extreme  diilrefs  with  corn ;  and  that  be 
joined  feveral  banditti  in  plundering  the  houfes 
of  die  fkhX^  caJuncoues  which  have  been 
ably  and  unanfwerably  routed  hy  Muller. 
But  4^  hrighl;^  fplendour  qf  abilities,  and 
even  the  mpft  ^pright  nfe  of  power,  will 

p.  273.  For  all  aud^entic  hiftprians  agree,  that  his  ele- 
vation to  the  throne  was  finally  owing  to  the  pofitive  re- 
commendation of  his  fitter  the  tzarina,  whofe  interceffion 
overcame  his  affefted  refuial  of  the  crown. 

*  Fletcher  &ys  of  Feodor,  that  ht  was  inclining  tp  a 
dropfy. 

t  As  appears  from  a  letter  in  the  Rufiian  archives. 

i  This  report,  Mr.  Muller  conje6tures,  arofe  from  his 
compelling  the  bifhops  and  nobles,  who  had  a  fuperfluit^ 
of  corn,  to  difpofe  of  it  to  the  poor  ^t  an  wder  price. 
S.  R.  G.  V. 

not 


c.  6.  MOSCOW.  ill 

not  atone  for  the  ill  means  of  acquiring  it ; 
and  the  time  arrived,  when  Boris  paid  the 
price  for  tlie  aflaflination  of  Pcmetrius.  The 
death  and  charader  of  Boris  Godunof  arc  thus 
delineated  by  an  impartial  Mflorian  *• 

**  The  party  of  the  pretended  Demetritrs 
**  increafed  daily,  and  the  Ruffians  fjocked 
**  to  him  from  all  qujtrtCTs,  This  circunfr- 
**  ftance,  joined  to  the  inactivity  of  the  Rufliaii 
*^  army,  had  fuch  an  ef&dt  upon  Boris,  that, 
**  driven  to  defpair,  he  fwallowed  poifon  -f. 
**  Tfce  accounts  arc  faUe,  which  attr&ute 
^  his  death  to  poifbn  given  to  him  by  one 
^*  Peter  Bcrfmanof ;  or  which  relate  thst 
**  while  he  was  giving  audience  to  feme 
**  foreign  embafladors,  he  was  feized  with  U 
"  violent  colic,  and  that  foon  afterwards 
"  the  blood  gufhed  from  his  mouth,  nofe, 
*^  and  ears.  He  felt  the  firft  eiFc<fts  of  the 
**  poifon  at  dinner,  and  the  fymptoms  were 
**  fo  violent,  that  he  had  fcarcely  time  to 
"  enter  into  the  monaftic  order  before  he 
**  expired.  According  to  the  Ruffian  cuf- 
"  torn,  he  changed  his  name  from  Boris  to 

»  MuUer,  S-  R.  G.  V,  p.  247. 

t  Captain  Margaret  fays,  that  he  died  of  an  apoplexy. 
Etat  de  laRuffie,  p.  118. 

2  **  Bogolep. 


€€ 
€4 


112  TRAVELS   INTO    RUSSIA.       B-J^ 

Bogolep.  His  deceafe  happened  on  the 
13th  of  April,  or  the  24th,  according  to 
**  the  new  ftyle,  1 605,  after  a  reign  of  eight 
**  years  and  two  months. 

"  It  muft  be  aUbwed  that  his  death  was  a 
**  great  lofs  to  Ruflia ;  for  if  we  except  the 
*^  unjuftifiable  means  by  which  he  raifed  him- 

•**  felf  to  the  throne,  and  the  cruelty  with 
**  which  he  perfccuted  feveral  illuftrious  fa- 

/*  milies,  particularly  the  houfe  of  Romanof, 

/^  he   muft   be  efteemed  an   excellent  fove- 

:  **  reign.  Ambition  and  revenge  were  his 
*^  principal  vices:  on  the  contrary,  his  pe- 
**  netration  and  fagacity,  his  affability  and 
•*  munificence,  his  political  knowledge,  his 
*^  diligence  in  the  adminiftration  of  affairs, 
*^  his  ailiduity  in  introducing  into  Ruffia  the 
**  improvements  of  foreign  nations,  in  a  word, 

.  *^  his  unwearied  attention  to  promote  the 
^^  advantage  of  his   country,   and  the  wel- 

. "  fare  of  his  fubjefts,  were  confpicuous  parts 
**  of  his  character.  We  are  apt  to  over- 
*Hiook  the  vices  of  a  fbvereign  in  confide- 
**  ration  of"  his  princely  virtues,  and  in  this 
**  refped:    Boris    is   entitled    to   our   efleem. 

•**  When  we  add  to  thefe  confiderations  the 
**  long  chain  of  calamities  which  fucceeded 

"  his 


C.  6.  MOSCOW,        ^  113 

**  his  death,  his  lofs  could  not  but  be  fenfi- 
**  bly  felt."  His  remains  were  at  firft  de- 
pofited  in  the  Imperial  fepulchre  at  Mofcow  ; 
but  were  afterwards  removed  to  the  convent 
of  the  Holy  Trinity  *. 

♦  For  the  hiftory  of  Boi;is  Godunof,  fee  Mullcr,  S,  R,  G. 
vol.  V.  p.  27  to  249. 


Vol.  It  I  CHAP. 


114        TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA,         B.J. 


CHAP.     VII. 

Inquiry  into  the  hijlory  and  adventures  of  the 
tzar  who  reigned  under  the  name  of  Deme- 
trius.— His  reception  in  Poland. — Invafon 
g/'Ruffia. — Acknowledged  as  thefon  2/  Ivan 
Vaffilievitch  II.  —  Seats  himfelf  upon  the 
throne. — His  character. — Confpiracy  againjl 
him. — Is  affajjinated. — Various  opinions  con-- 
cerning  him. — Called  an  impojlor  by  the  Ruf- 
fian hijiorians. — By  Petreius. — Tejiimony  of 
Margaret  in  his  favour. — Grounds  for  fup^ 
pqfing  him  to  be  the  real  Demetrius. 

\  M  O  N  G  the  tombs  in  the  cathedral 
JlA  of  St.  Michael  I  had  occafion  to  men- 
tion that  of  a  child,  called  by  the  Ruffians 
Dmitri,  or  Demetrius,  w^hofe  intricate  and 
controverted  hiftory  was  referved  for  a  fepa- 
rate  narrative. 

Ivan  *   Vaffilievitch   II.   left   two   fons; 
Feodor,  who  fucceeded  to  the  throne;  and 

Demetrius, 

*  I  had  entirely  finiflied  this  chapter  before  the  publica- 
cation  of  L'Evefque's  Hiftoire  de  RufTie.  That  ingenious 
author  has,  in  his  account  pf  the  perfou  who  jftyled  himfelf 

Demetrius, 


C.J.  DEMETRIUS.  II5 

Demetrius,  an  infant,  who  was  educated  at 
Uglitz  under  the  care  of  his  mother  the  tzar- 
ina  Maria  Feodorofna,  and  in  the  eighth  year 
of  his  age  was  faid  to  have  beftn  aflaflinated 
by   order    of  Boris   Godunof*.     The  xeal 

circumftances 

Demetrius,  advanced  many  plaufible  arguments  to  fhew, 
that  he  was  probably  not -an  impoftor ;  and  though  they 
aj^pear  to  me  unanfwerable,  and  it  is  eafy  to  perceive  that 
he  entirely  leans  to  that  opinion,  yet  he  candidly  concludes 
with  aflerting,  *'  Plufieurs  obje£lions  que  j'ai  hazardees 
•^  contre  Timpofture  d'Otrepief  me  paraiflent  d'une 
^'  grande  force,  je  n'oferai  ccpendant  decider  la  queftion.'* 
See  Hif.  de  Ruff.  v.  III.  p.  226  to  236,  It  may  ferve, 
perhaps,  as  an  additional  proof  in  favour  of  Demetrius,  that 
two  foreigners,  who  had  vifited  Ruffia,  both  unbiafled  by 
any  national  prejudices,  and  without  the  lead  communi- 
cation with  each  other,  fhould  hold  nearly  the  fame  opinion 
upon  fo  intricate  a  fubjeft.  I  have  infer  ted  into  the  notes 
a  few  of  his  remarks,  which  feemed  to  me  the  moft  im- 
portant, 

*  Muller  relates  from  a  RuiSan  manufcript,  that  twelve 
perfons  were  privy  to  the  murder,  amongft  whom  were  the 
prince's  nurfe  and  her  fon,  who  perpetrated  the  deed; 
that  it  was  committed  at  mid-day  in  the  court-yard  of  the 
palace,  and  that  a  bell-ringer,  who  was  upon  the  top  of 
an  adjoining  cathedral,  faw  the  'whole  tranfa<5Uon.  Pe- 
treius  afferts,  that  the  prince  was  murdered  during  the  con- 
fufion  of  a  fire,  purpofely  occafioned  by  one  of  the  aflaflins. 
Margaret  and  Grevenbuck  fay  that  the  affaifin  was  fon  of 
the  tzarina  Maria's  fecre^ry ;  and  it  is  generally  affirmed, 
that  it  happened  at  midnight. — The  Ruffian  authors  na- 

I  2  tufally 


Il6         TRAVELS    rNTO    RUSSIA*        B.  2* 

circumftances  of  this  aflaflination^  being 
purpofely  with-held  from  the  public,  are 
varioufly  related ;  and  the  following  particu- 
lars can  alone  be  unqueftionably  depended 
upon.  A  body,  fuppofed  to  be  that  of  the 
young  prince, was  found  weltering  in  its  blood; 
certain  perfons,  confidered  as  the  aflaflins^ 
were  inftantly  put  to  death  by  the  inhabitants 
of  Uglitz.  When  the  account  of  the  cata- 
ftrophe  was  tranfmitted  to  Mofcow;  Boris 
Godunof,  having  firft  fpread  a  report  that 
Demetrius  had,  in  a  violent  fit  of  phrenzy, 
put  a  period  to  his  own  life,  difpatched  his 
creatures  Vaffili  Shuifki  and  Cletchnin  to 
make  inquiries  into  the  circumftances  of  the 
princess  death.  Thefe  perfons,  having  ex* 
amined  the  body  of  the  deceafed,  declared  it 

turally  prefer  the  firft  account^  becaufe  it  was  more  difficult 
at  mid-day  to  fubftitute  a  child.  There  is  no  reafon  ta 
be  furprized  at  thefe  contradiftory  opinions,  when  it  is 
confidered,  as  L'Evcfque  has  juftly  obferved,  *^  que  Boris 
^  fupprima  tous  Ics  details  de  cet  horrible  ailaire;  qu'ft 
•*  trompa  le  tzar  ct  le  public.  Le  public  fut  done  alor» 
•*  mal  inftruit  des  circonftances  de  cet  ev6nement,  ct  k 
*'  temps  n*a  pu  y  ajouter  que  de  nouvelles  obfcurites* 
^  lyailleurs,  comme  le  dit  Margaret,  on  obfervait  ca 
**  Ruilie  un  fecret  fi  profond  fur  toutes  les  aflSiires,  qu'il 
**  etait  fort  difficile  d'apprendrc  la  verite  de  ce  qu'oa 
\  n'avait  pas  vu  dc  fes  yeux/*    V.  IIL  p.  228. 

to 


C.J.  DEMETRIUS.  I17 

to  be  that  of  Demetrius,  and  confirmed  the 
former  report  which  had  been  circulated  by 
Boris  Godunof.  Maria  Feodorofna^  accufed 
of  grofs  inattention  to  her  fon's  fecurity,  was 
compelled  to  aflume  the  veil,  and  confined 
in  a  convent ;  many  inhabitants  of  Uglitz, 
who  fpoke  freely  concerning  the  murder,  were 
capitally  puniflied  ;  fome  were  imprifoned, 
and  others  were  banifhed. 

Boris  Godunof  managed  this  horrid  tranf- 
a£tion  with  fuch  art  and  fecrecy,  that  fcarcely 
any  fufpicions  were  entertained  againft  him  ^ 
until  thirteen  years  afterwards  a  perfon  made 
his  appearance  who  declared  himfelf  to  be 
Demetrius  :  he  gave  out  that  his  mother, 
fufpicious  of  the  attempts  againft  her  fon's 
life,  had  taken  the  precaution  to  remove  him 
from  Uglitz,  and  to  fubftitute  another  child, 
who  was  aflaffinated  in  his  place ;  and  that, 
being  educated  in  a  convent,  and  concealed 
from  the  knowledge  of  his  perfecutors,  he 
had  efcaped  from  Ruffia  into  Poland.  Being 
there  admitted  into  the  fervice  of  Wiefnovit- 
Iki,  a  Pole  of  great  diftinftion,  he  difcovered 
himfelf  to  that  nobleman ;  who,  convinced, 
or  pretending  to  be  fo,  that  he  was  the  fon 
of  Ivan  Vaflilievitch  II.  warmly  efpoufed  his 
caufe.     Boris  Godunof,  having  received  in- 

I  3  telligencc 


Il8         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.         B.  3. 

telligence  of  this  unexpedted  claimant  of  his 
throne,  difleminated  a  report,  that  the  impof- 
tor  who  ajflumed  the  name  of  Demetrius,  was 
a  monk  ftyled  Gregory  or  Grifka  Otrepief; 
and  fpared  neither  threats  nor  bribes  to  obtain 
pofleffion  of  his  perfon ;  but,  when  thefe  ex- 
pedients failed  of  Tuccefs,  he  difpatched  his 
emiiTaries  into  Poland  to  aflaflinate  him. 

Wiefnovitiki,  alarmed  for  the  fafety  of  his 
fugitive,  recommended  kim  to  the  protection 
of  the  fenator  George  Mnifhek  palatine  of 
Sendomir ;  a  nobleman  of  the  largeft  eftate 
and  greateft  confequence  of  Poland.  Deme- 
trius (if  I  may  be  allowed  to  call  him  by  that 
name)  being  acknowledged  by  him  as  the 
rightful  heir  of  the  Ruffian  throne,  was  foon 
afterwards  betrothed  in  marriage  to  the  pala- 
tine's daughter  Maria ;  and,  in  the  beginning 
ot  the  year  1603,  was  introduced  to  Sigif- 
mond  III.  king  of  Ppjand.  Being  admitted 
to  a  public  audience  before  the  diet,  he  excited 
the  compaffion  of  that  aflembly  by  the  affed:- 
ing  manner  in  which  he  related  his  extraor- 
dinary adventures ;  and  though  Sigifmond  and 
the  diet  regretted  that  the  fituation  of  their 
country  prevented  them  from  openly  fecond- 
ing  his  pretenfions,  yet  they  teftified  the  moft 
cordial  attachment  to  his  interefts,  and  laid 

no 


r 


Q.J.  DEMETRIUS.  II9 

no  prohibition  on  thofe  nobles  who  might  be 
dilpofed  to  engage  in  his  fupport.  By  thq 
affiilance  of  his  two  patrons,  Wiefnovitfki 
and  the  palatine  of  Sendomir,  Demetrius  en- 
tered Ruffia  in  the  month  of  Auguft,  1604, 
at  the  head  of  about  4000  Poles ;  and  being 
foon  joined  by  many  Ruffians,  particularly  by 
the  Coflacs  of  the  Don,  advanced  almoft  with- 
out oppofition  to  Novogorod  Severikoi,  and 
routed  in  December  an  army  of  40,000  men ; 
but  was  himfelf  not  long  afterwards  defeated, 
with  great  flaughter,  by  prince  Vaffili  Shuilki 
general  of  Boris  Godunof.  Eight  thoufand 
of  his  followers  were  either  killed  or  taken 
prifoners  ;  all  his  artillery  and  colours  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  enemy ;  his  horfewas  wound^ 
ed  under  him,  and  he  himfelf  efcaped  with 
difficulty. 

This  overthrow  occaiioned  the  almoft  total 
defed:ion  of  the  Polifh  troops ;  and  Demetrius 
himfelf  was  fo  difmayed  with  his  lofs,  that  he 
would  have  retreated  precipitately  into  Po- 
land, if  he  had  not  been  diffiiaded  by  the  im- 
portunities of  his  Ruffian  adherents;  many 
of  whom  believed  him  to  be  the  true  Deme- 
trius, and  all  dreaded  the  vengeance  of  Boris 
Godunof,  Overcome  by  their  fuggeftions, 
he  continued  his  march ;  and,  notwithftand- 

I  4  ing 


120         TRAVELS    INTO   RUSSIA.        B,  3, 

ing  his  late  difcomfiture,  foon  faw  himfelf 
at  the  head  of  a  numerous  army  of  Ruffians, 
who  flocked  to  his  ftandard  from  all  quarters. 
Not  only  the  populace,  ever  prone  to  credu- 
Jity,  but  even  men  of  the  higheft  birth  and 
quality,  gave  credit  to  his  pretenfions:  not 
only  the  diftant  provinces  fupported  his  caufe^ 
but  the  people  rofe  even  at  Mofcow,  and  pub- 
Jickly  proclaimed  that  Demetrius  had  efcaped 
from  his  aflaffins,  and  claimed  allegiance  as 
their  rightful  fovereign.  This  infurre<ftion 
was  indeed  immediately  quelled ;  but  although 
Boris  Grodunof  inflided  the  fevereft  punifh- 
ment  upon  his  adherents ;  though  the  patri- 
arch publifhed  a  ban  of  excommunication 
a^inft  him  and  his  party ;  and  though  Vaffili 
Shuifki  openly  affirmed  that  he  had  himfelf 
examined  the  body  of  the  deceafed  prince  at 
Uglitz ;  yet  an  univerfal  belief  fpread  itfelf 
through  all  ranks,  that  the  pretender  to  the 
throne  was  the  real  fon  of  Ivan  Vaffilie^ 
vitch  II, 

The  fudden  death  of  Boris  Godunof,  which 
happened  in  the  month  of  April,  1605,  haf-« 
t-ned  the  fuccefs  of  Demetrius.  Feodor  Bo- 
rifovitch  was  fcarcely  declared  fucceflbr  to  his 
father  by  the  patriarch  and  nobles  who  wtrc 
prefent  at  Mofcow ;  before  he  was  deferted  by 

the 


^ 


C.  7«  DEMETRIUS.  I2t 

the  principal  generals  of  the  Ruffian  army, 
and  by  many  perfons  of  diftindtion.  His 
troops  at  this  inaufpicious  junfture  were  fud- 
denly  attacked  and  defeated ;  and  thofe  who 
efcaped  were  perfuaded  to  fwear  fealty  to  his 
rival^  who,  ilrengthened  by  this  acceffion, 
advanced  by  hafly  marches  towards  the  capi- 
tal without  the  leaft  oppofition  :  the  highways 
were  lined  with  people  5  the  towns  opened 
their  gates  with  every  demonftration  of  joy; 
while  Demetrius  fupported  the  prepofleffion 
of  the  Ruffians  in  favour  of  his  birth  by  the 
affability  of  his  demeanour,  and  the  graceful- 
nefs  of  his  perfon.  Having  publifhed  a  ma- 
nifefto,  in  which  he  held  out  to  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Mofcow  offers  of  clemency  and  favour 
on  their  return  to  their  duty,  they  rofe  in 
arms ;  flormed  the  palace ;  depofed  and  ftran- 
gled  Feodor  Borifovitch ;  and  recognized  his 
title.  On  the  30th  of  June  the  new  tzar 
entered  Mofcow  in  triumph,  and  took  poffef- 
iion  of  the  throne  with  univerfal  approbation. 
His  pretenfions  to  the  crown,  as  real  fon  of 
Ivan  VaffiHevitch  II.  were  flill  further  con- 
finned  by  the  pulic  teftimony  of  Maria  Feo^ 
dprofna,  whom  Boris  Godunof  had  imprifoned 
in  a  diflant  monaftery,  and  whom  Demetrius, 
at  hi$  acceffion,  inflantly  releafed  from  her 

confineqient. 


12Z         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  3. 

confinement.  Upon  her  approach  to  Mof- 
cow,  on  the  8  th  of  July,  he  rode  to  meet  her 
at  the  head  of  a  numerous  proceflion ;  and  at 
the  firll  appearance  of  her  carriage,  alighted 
from  his  horfe,  and  ran  to  embrace  her.  The 
tendernefs  and  aifedion  which  both  parties 
difplayed  on  this  interefting  occafion  drew 
tears  from  the  fpe(3:ators ;  and  the  ftrong  ex- 
preflions  of  tranfport  with  which  the  tzarina 
openly  acknowledged  him  for  her  fbn,  feemed 
to  afford  a  pofitive  confirmation  of  the  reality 
of  his  imperial  lineage.  Soon  after  this- in- 
terview he  was  crowned  with  the  ufual  pomp 
and  magnificence,  and  feemed  now  firmly, 
(bated  upon  the  throne ;  in  the  pofleffion  of 
which  he  would  probably  have  maintained 
himfelf,  whether  he  were  the  real  Demetrius 
or  an  impoftor,  by  a  proper  conformity  to 
the  manners  of  his  fubjedls,  and  by  a  prudent 
deference  to  their  civil  and  religious  eftablifli- 
ment.  But  his  avowed  contempt  of  the 
Ruffian  cuftoms  ;  and,  above  all,  his  public 
negleft  of  their  religious  ceremonies^  foon 
alienated  the  affedlions  of  his  fubjedts ;  and 
precipitated  him  from  the  throne  as  rapidly  as 
he  had  afcended  it. 

Margaret,  who  had  frequent  accefs  to  the 
perfon  of  Demetrius,  has  fketched  his  portrait 

in 


r 


C.  7.  DEMETRIUS.  12^ 

in  the  following  ftiort,  but  lively  manner^ 
**  He  had  no  beard,  was  of  a  middle  flature, 
**  and  of  dark  complexion,  his  limbs  were 
**  ftrong  and  nervous,  and  he  had  a  wart  under 
*^  his  right  eye.  He  was  active,  fpirited,  and 
**  merciful,  foon  offended,  and  as  foon  ap- 
^^  peaied ;  liberal,  ambitious,  and  defirous  of 
**  making  himfelf  known  to  pofterity;  in  a 
*'  word,  he  was  a  prince  who  loved  honour, 
*'  and  recommended  it  by  his  own  exam- 
**  pie  *  ''  If  we  fhould  allow  that  Margaret 
has  concealed  many  of  his  defedts,  and  has 
placed  his  virtues  in  the  moft  advantageous 
light;  yet  the  acrimony  and  injuftice  which 
appear  in  many  parts  of*  the  following  ex- 
tracts from  his  character,  as  drawn  even  by 
Mr.  Muller  the  moft  candid  of  his  opponents, 
will  prevent  every  impartial  perfon  from  giv- 
ing implicit  credit  to  the  reprefentations  c£ 
his  enemies. 

^*  The  falfe  -|-  Demetrius  was  of  a  middle 
**  fize,  dark  complexion,  and  had  one  of  his 
^*  arms  fhorter  than  the  other.  He  would 
*^  have  been  efteemed  not  deficient  in  wif- 
*'  dom,  if  he  had  not  been  fo  precipitate  in 

♦  Margaret,  p.  141. 

+  S.  R.  G.  vol,  V.  p.  302,  &ۥ 

3  V  his 


124         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA*        B.  3. 

'^  his  conduct: ;  and  if  he  had  conformed  his 
*^  behaviour  to  the  difpolition  and  temper  of 
'^  his  fubje<5ls.  In  Poland  he  applied  himfelf 
'^  to  the  ftudy  of  languages,  arts,  and  fciences ; 
**  he  converfed  in  Latin  *  and  Polifh  with  flu- 
*'  ency  j  he  was  well  acquainted  with  hiftory, 
*^  and  particularly  with  that  of  Ruffia  and  the 
**  neighbouring  kingdoms ;  he  was  well  verfed 
**  in  mufick,  and  poffefled  other  liberal  accom- 
*'  plifhments.  On  account  of  his  addrefs  and 
**  good  fortune  in  obtaining  the  crown,  he 
**  vr3ig  efteemed  a  magician*  Warlike  exercife 
'*  and  huntftig  were  his  principal  amufements. 
*'  He  had  fome  knowledge  of  engineering  and 
^^  artillery  ^  was  fond  of  cafting  cannon  ;  and 
*'  ihot  with  fuch  fkill  and  addrefs  as  to  fur- 
**  prize  the  moft  dextrous  markfmen.  He 
*•  was  zealous  to  improve  the  difcipline  of  his 
^*  army ;  for  which  purpofe  he  would  often 
**  review  his  troops,  inftrudt  them  in  different 
**  manoeuvres,  ftorm  ramparts  and  fortifica- 
"  tions ;  and  as  he  was  always  foremoft,  and 

♦  His  underftanding  Latin  has  been  urged  againft 
him  as  a  proof  that  he  was  educated  by  tlic  Jcfuits.  Mar* 
garet,  however,  pofitively  aflerts,  that  he  was  not  in  the 
ieaft  acquainted  with  that  language.  II  eft  tres  certain 
qu'il  ne  parloit  nullement  Latin,  j'en  puis  temoigner, 
inoins  le  ffavoit  il  lir«  et  ecrire.     Ibid,  p.  163. 

10  'Mhe 


C.  7*  DEMETRIUS.  I25 

"  the  raoft  eager  among  the  affailants,  he 
**  frequently  was  rudely  handled  in  the 
^*  fray. 

**  I)efirous  to  be  efteemed  a  patron  of  juf- 
**  tice,  he  put  to  death  feveral  judges  wha 
**  had  been  convidted  of  iniquitous  practices. 
*  *  But  was  not  this  mode  of  proceeding  rather 
**  a  proof  of  his  inclination  to  cruelty  ?  and 
^*  might  it  not  arife  from  a  defire  of  ftriking 
**  terror  into  his  fubjeds  *  ? 

*^  He  has  been  praifed  for  his  munificence, 
**  but  it  was  both  extravagant  and  ill-placed  ^ 
*5  he  heaped  bounties  upon  Polifh  muficiana 
**  and  other  minions,  and  drained  the  treafury 
*^  by  the  moil  enormous  expences  "f*.     Like 

♦  A  fuppofition,  which  {hews  a  ftrong  difpofition  in  the 
oppofite  party  to  mifreprcfent  the  mpft  favourable  parts  of 
his  conduct. 

f  The  accounts  of  his  extravagance  were  grofsly  ex- 
aggerated. He  is  faid  to  have  given  orders  for  a  throne 
of  mafly  fdver,  fupported  v^rith  fix  lions  of  the  feme  coftly 
matcrisJs  ;  and  for  a  footftool  of  pure  gcdd,  for  the  cere- 
mony of  his  coronation :  the  latter  was  ftudded  with 
600  diamonds,  600  rubies,  600  fapphires,  600  eme- 
ralds, 600  Turkifli  ftones,  all  of  a  large  fize,  but  fome  of 
the  latter  were  as  big  as  half  a^  pigeon's  egg.  It  muft  be 
remarked,  that  this  footftool  was  already  in  the  treafury 
whea  Demetrius  afcended  the  throne  s  and  had  been  prefent- 

ed 


J26  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.    '  B.  J. 

all  voluptuaries  he  was  fickle  and  impetu- 
ous. All  his  a<ftions  proved  an  extraordinary 
pronenefs  to  prefer  his  own  precipitate  re- 
folutions  to  the  moft  prudent  advice,  and 
to  adopt  the  rafheft  meafures  *  His  fudden 
*^  elevation  rendered  him  infolent ;  he  was 
'^  fo  ambitious,  that  even  the  Ruffian  em- 
*^  pire  appeared  too  fmall  to  fatisfy  his  luft 
*^  of  dominion ;  and  he  extended  his  views 
to  the  reduction  of  Turkey  and  Tartary. 
His  ebriety  and  incontinence  were  his 
moft  notorious  vices,  which  frequently  ex- 
pofed  him  in  the  eyes  of  the  public.  Be- 
fide  the  princefs  Irene,  the  daughter  of 
Boris  Godunof,  all  who  pleafed  him  were 
*^  facrificed  to  his  defires,  without  the  leaft 
**  regard  to  rank  or  age  *. 

"  Upon 

cd  from  the  Sophy  of  Perfia  to  Ivan  Vaffilievitch  II. 
S.  R.  G.  vol.  V.  p.  335.  Many  fimilar  ornaments  em- 
ployed at  his  coronation  had  been  ufed  by  the  former  fo- 
vereigns,  who  were  crowned  with  Aiiatic  magnificence. 

.  ♦  Thefe  parts  of  his  condudt  were  alfo  greatly  mifre- 
prefented.  L'Eve.fque  aflerts,  with  great  appearance  of 
probability,  that  thefe  reports  of  his  incontinence  were  not 
founded  in  truth ;  and  particularly  denies  that  the  princefs 
Irene  was  facrificed  to  his  defires.  "  On  a  ecrit,  qu'elle 
"  avoit  ete  refervee  pour  fervir  aux  plaifirs  brutaux  du 
"  bourreau  de  fa  famille ;  mais  cette   accufation,  diSee 

"par 


€€ 
€C 
€C 
€C 
€€ 


*.. 


C.  7-  DEMETRIUS,  12/ 

**  Upon  his  firft  acceffion  to  the  throne  he 
*'  was  eafy  of  accefs,  but  he  gradually  be- 
'^  came  fufpicious  of  his  fubjedis ;  he  had  a 
*^  foreign  guard ;  he  often  refuied  audience  to 
**  the  Ruffian  nobility,  when  he  admitted  the 
*^  Poles  without  referve.  He  feemed  to  fum- 
*^  rnon  the  privy- counfellors  only  for  the  pur- 
**  pofe  of  turning  them  to  ridicule.  If  a 
**  Ruffian  lodged  a  complaint  againft  a  Pole, 
**  he  could  never  obtain  juftice,  and  infult  was 
/*  even  added  to  injury.  Probably  this  info- 
*^  lence  was  the  chief  caufe  of  his  fubfequent 
**  misfortunes ;  and  his  fall  would  at  leaft 
**  have  been  retarded,  if  he  had  endeavoured 
^*  to  conciliate  the  afFedtion  of  the  principal 
**  nobles.  But  the  circumftance  which  prin- 
"  cipally  contributed  to  his  lofs  of  popu- 
**  larity,  was  the  little  reverence  which  he 
**  profeffed  for  the  ceremonies  of  the  Greek 
"  church.  Upon  his  firft  arrival  at  Mofcow 
**  he  entered  the  two  cathedrals  with  drums 
**  beating  and  trumpets  founding ;  he  paid 
**  no  refpe<ft  to  the  clergy ;  he  made  no  dif- 

*'  par  la  haine,  n'eft  ni  vraifemblable  ni  confirmee  par 
'*  Pancienne  chronique  que  nous  fuivons,  et  qui  parait 
fidele.     On  peut  en  croire  que  Dmitri  fut  un  impof- 
teur;  mais  rien  ne  fait  foup^onner,  qu'il  fut   adonne 
"  a  de  fales  debauches."     V.  III.  p,  202. 

**  tinftion 


128         TRAVELS    INTO    ltUS$lA.       ».  3/ 

^*  tindion  between  fafts  and  feftivals  ;  would 
'f  neither  bow  nor  crofs  himfelf  before  the  ia* 
**  cred  paintings  ;  he  profaned  the  churches  by 
**  admitting  foreigners  at  the  time  of  divine 
**  fervice,  and  ftill  more  by  the  number  of 
*^  dogs  which  followed  him  upon  the  ^mc 
**  occalion, 

"  He  was  not  only  fo  much  attached  to 
**  the  Polifh  cuftoms  and  drefs  as  to  prefer 
*^  them  upon  all  occafions  ;  but  he  even  ridi- 
**  culed  the  Ruffian  manners,  and  in  every 
*^  inftance  deviated  from  the  examples  of  the 
*^  tzars  his  predeceflbrs.  Inftead  of  fhowing 
**  himfelf  to  the  people  feldom,  and  only 
**  uppn  extraordinary  occafions  with  a  large 
**  retinue,  he  was  accufl:omed  to  traverfe  the 
"  llreets  without  any  fuite  but  a  few  fervants ; 
**  he  commonly  rode,  and,  as  he  was  an  ex- 
**  cellent  horfeman,  was  generally  mounted 
**  upon  the  mofi:  fiery  fl:eeds ;  he  hunted 
**  frequently ;  had  mufic  at  his  repafi:s ;  ne- 
•*  ver  flept  at  mid-day ;  never  bathed*  Thefe 
^*  trifling  circumfi:ances  were  at  that  time 
**  regarded  in  fo  ferious  a  light,  that  the 
"  omiflion  of  them  rendered  him  the  object 
^*  of  general  hatred ;  and  it  was  commonly 
**  reported,  that  the  perfon  who  could  ihoW 
**  fuch  a  difi:afte  for  the  cuftoms  of  his  coun- 

''  try, 


C;  7*  DEMETRIUS.  1 29 

**  try,  could  never  be  defeended  from  the  race 
"  of  its  ancient  fovereigns".  It  was  an  obvi- 
**  ous  inference,  to  confider  the  deljpifer  of 
"  his  fubjcdls  as  their  enemy.  Under  fuch 
**  cifcumftances  his  deftruftion  feemcd  inevi- 
table^; and  yet  near  a  year  elapfcd  before 

any 


|,abrAV  f       MAAV*     J^%.     AAWCU      a.    J^mx       W««.^4.«i^A 


*  Mr.  MuUer,  in  this  place^  relates  an  acCdunt  of  » 
match  with  fiiow-balls  between  the  Ruflian  foldiers  arid 
the  Poles ;  when  the  latter  were  faicJ,  at  the  command  of 
Demetrius,  to  have  filled  their  fnow-balls  with  farid  and 
ftones,  by  whidi  the  RuiHans  (blaue  Augen  und  blUtige 
Koepfe  bekamen)  received  many  black  ^yes  and  bloody 
heads.  Such  abfurd  accufations  do  not  merit  any  ferious 
refutation.  Many  other  idle  talcs  are  alfo  gravely  related 
againft  him  ;  and  indeed  every  circumftance  of  his  ccJiti- 
duiA  feems  to  have  been  malevolently  interpreted.  Among 
the  public  diverflons  which  he  gave  in  honour  of  his  mar* 
riage  was  a  fire-work,  in  which  a  dragon  was  reprefented 
with  three  heads  fpitting  out  flames.  Such  a  fpeitacle, 
being  uncommon  ill  the  country,  affrighted  the  Ruffians ; 
and  it  was  reported,  that  the  tzar  had  contrlvfed  it  6ti  pur- 
Jpofe  to  alarm  his  fubje<fts.  The  Poles  were  not  wanting 
upon  this  and  all  othei*  oCcafions  in  ridiculing  the  igno- 
rance and  fimplicity  of  thfe  Ruffians,  which  increafed 
the  hlatred  agaihfl  them  and  the  fovet^ign  who  proCefted 
them.  A  wooden  tower  was  alfb  tronftrufted  near  the 
city,  which,  upon  a  cefrtain  day,  was  to  be  attacked  with 
a  cannonade  and  florrtied.  After'  the  aflaffinatioh  of  De- 
metrius, Vaffili  Shuifki  publicly  aflerted  in  a  manifeflo,  that 
it  was  the  intention  of  Demetrius  to  have  taken  the  op- 
portunity, which  the  ftorming  of  this  tower  prefeiited,  of 
Vol*  II.  K  m^acrinj 


1 30         TRAVELS    INTO   RUSSIA.       B.  3. 

**  any 'tumult  broke  out  againft  him.  At 
*'  lengtii  h»  marriage  with  a  foreign  lady 
^*  doled  the  fc^nt ;  and  it  would  have  been 
f  ^  a  wonder  if  he  had  continued  any  longer 
*^  upon  the  throne/' 

Having  in  Poland  betrothed  himfelf  to 
Marina,  the  daughter  of  the  palatine  Mnif- 
chek,  he  difpatched  a  fplendid  embafly  to 
demand  her  in  marriage.  The  efpoufals  were 
performed  at  Cracow ;  and  the  bride,  having 
made  her  entry  into  Mofcow,  accompanied 
with  a  large  fuite  of  Poles,  was  lodged  in  a 
nimnery  until  the  folemnization  of  the  nup- 
tials :  during  this  interval  he  difturbed  the 
devotion  of  the  holy  fifterhood  vdth  repeated 
i^fts,  concerts,  and  balls,  whereby  he  excited 
public  horror,  as  a  facrilegious  violator  of 

mai&cring  many  inhabitants  of  Mofcaw.  The  gates  of 
Ac  city  were  to  be  fuddenly  fhut  5  the  cannon  to  be  fired 
among  the  people  aflembled  upon  the  occafion  >  and  thofe 
who  efcaped  were  to  be  hewn  in  pieces  by  the  Coflaes 
and  Strelitz.  At  the  fame  time  the  RuiEan  nobles  were 
to  be  murdered  by  the  Polifh  troopsr  This  account,  fo 
improbable  in  itfelf,  is  only  fupported  by  the  fiippofed  con- 
feilion  of  two  Polifh  nobles,  to  whom  Demetrius  is  faid  to 
have  revealed  it  a  day  or  two  before  his  aiTaifination  ^  but 
we  may  more  juftly  believe  it  to  have  been  a  calumny,  in- 
vented by  Vaffili  Shuifki,  to  render  the  memory  of  his  rival 
more  odious.    See  S.  R.  G.  vol.  V.  342—346. 

religious 


rdigioas  difcipline.  3y  this  infatuated  b?*» 
liavioui-  he  inflamed  the  difaffe<3tion  pf  his 
fuhje&s  to  fuch  a  degree,  that  a  regukr  con- 
Ipiracy  was  concerted  againft  him*  Th? 
leader  of  this  confpiracy  was  prwace  Vaffilji 
IvanQvitch  Shuifki,  the  f^ie  perfc^i  who  had 
owed  his  life  to  the  lenity  of  DemetKiua ;  an4 
on  whom  this  aft  of  clemency  had  no  other 
ej9^<5  than  to  render  him  more  cautious  ^n  hia 
fufefequ^nt  machinations  againft  hi^  bejnefadtpf  • 
Denietriijs  had  friequcntly  received  intimation^ 
firom  different  quartern  of  a  prpjc<5ted  infur- 
reiSion*  The  popular  Qdiijm  4>etray4d  itfeif 
by  the  npt^oft  alarniing  fympt(Hi»Sr  PenCbns 
w^^  h^rd  crymg  in  the  ftrepte,  *^  The  tzai: 
*^  is  an  her^c  wprfc  than  a  Turk/^nd  no? 
^*  ;the  fon  of  Ivan  VaffiUevitch/'  But,  either 
from  natural  magnanimity  that  braved  ali 
danger,  or  from  the  inconfiderate  levity  erf*  hi$ 
Charafter,  which  would  not  attend  to  it,  h^ 
was  infenfible  to  all  thefe  prognoftics ;  and 
by  pbftinately  perfcvering  in  his  pbnoxiou? 
and  unpopular  condud:,  feemed  almoft  tp  in- 
vite the  deftruftion  which  awaited  him* 

The  infurreftion  broke  out  early  in 
the  morning  on  the  27th  of  May*  The 
goafyira^^ors  ppflefled  themfelves  of  the  prin.- 
cipal,  avenues^    leadinjg    to    the    cityj    the 

K  2  great 


13«         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B,  3. 

great  bell  in  the  Kremlin,  the  common  fignal 
of  alarm,  was  tolled;  and  a  confufed  cry 
was  ipread  among  the  people,  that  the  Poles 
tvcrc  preparing  to  mailacre  the  inhabitants. 
Vaffili  Shuilki,  who  had  fecretly  fomented 
and  inflamed  the  public  difcontents,  led  the 
way  to  the  palace,  bearing  a  crofs  in  one 
hand,  and  a  fabre  in  the  other,  accompanied 
by  a  vaft  multitude  armed  with  the  firft  wea- 
pons which  chance  prefentcd.  This  party, 
having  overpowered  the  guards,  burft  open 
die  gates  of  the  palace,  and  ruflied  towards 
the  apartment  of  Demetrius.  The  latter, 
awakened  by  the  tumult,  fummoned  the  few 
guards  who  were  immediately  about  his  per- 
Ibn,  and  fallying,  without  a  moment's  deli- 
beration, againft  his  aflailants,  hewed  down 
feveral  of  the  foremoft :  being  foon  overborn 
by  numbers,  he  attempted  to  retreat  into 
the  interior  part  of  the  palace;  but,  clofely 
prefled  by  his  purfuers,  he  precipitated  himfelf 
from  a  window  into  a  court,  and  diflocated 
his  thigh  with  the  fall. 

Being  difcovered  in  this  deplorable  con- 
dition, he  was  conveyed  back  to  the  palace, 
and  brought  before  Vaffili  Shuifki,  who  load- 
ed him  with  reproaches  for  his  impofture. 
Not  difmayed,  however,  with   the  menaces 

of 


C.J.  DEMETRIUS.  I33 

of  his  enemy,  he  perfifted  *  in  maintaining 
himfelf  to  be  the  rea)[  fon  of  Ivan  Vaflilie- 
vitch  IL  and,  as  a  proof  of  the  truth  of  his 
aflertion,  appealed  to  the  teftimony  of  his 
mother,  who  rcfided  in  the  neighbouring  con* 
vent  of  Vicfnovitfkoi,  The  firmnefs  and  con- 
fiftency  of  his  affeverations  made  a  confider- 
able  impreflion  upon  many  df  the  Ruffian 
foldiers ;  who  peremptorily  declared,  that  they 
would  protedt  him  from  all  injury,  unlefs 
Maria  Feodorofna  formally  renounced  him  as 
her  fon.  On  this  unexpeAed  declaration, 
Vaffili  Shuilki,  accompanied  with.fbme  Ruf- 
fian nobles  of  his  party,  repaired  to  the  con- 
vent, and  returned  inftantly  with  the  follow- 
ing anfwer  from  that  princefs  j  *^  That  the 
'*  real  Demetrius  was  flain  at  Uglitz ;  that 
**  the  perfon  who  at  prefent  aflumed  his 
**  name  was  an  impoftor ;  and  that  flie  had 
*•  been  conftrained  by  menaces  to  acknow- 
•*  ledge  him  for  her  fon/*  Upon  the  deli^ 
very  of  this  meflage,  the  unhappy  monarch 
was  inftantly  facrificed   to  the  fury  of  his 

*  Mr.  MuUer  fays,  all  the  Ruffian  writers  declare,  tiiat 
he  confeiled  his  impofture  ;  but  it  is  certain  that  he  did 
not  5  otherwife,  why  did  Vaffili  Shuifki  repair  to  the  con- 
vent  to  obtain  the  tsarina's  declaration,  when  his  own 
t^piifeffion  would  have  been  fully  fulHcient  \ 

K  3  *  enemies* 


134         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA,        B,  3, 

cpctaies.  Neither  wafe  their  vengeance  ap-f 
peafed  hy  his  deaths  but  extended  even  to  his 
injmimate  body ;  it  vtm  pierced  with  repeated 
wounds,  gripped  naked,  and  expofed  for  three 
days  in  the  ftreets  to  the  infults  of  the  popu-^ 
lace ;  it  was  then  deposited  in  the  public  char- 
nel-houfe,  and  afterwards  *  reduced  to  aihes» 
from  a  nption  that  the  earth  would  be  polluted 
by  the  interment  of  fo  unholy  a  corpfe. 

The  afl&ffination  of  Demetrius  was  followed 
by  a  geMral  tumult:  the  houfets  of  all  the 
foreigners  were  pillaged;  and  not  only  the 
Poles,  who  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  people, 
^ut  even  marty  Ruffians  who  Wcwpe  the  Poiifli 
drefs,  were  maflacred.  Though  this  ftatc  of 
anarchy  Tailed  only  ten  hours ;  yet  more  than 
fwp  fhpufand  p?rfojls  loft  their  lives.     The 

*  It  ftems,  by  tether  accofm^  that  the  hqiy  was  firft 
buried  without  the  city ;  and  that  the  multitude  flocked  in 
crouds  to  the  place^  "  The  common  people  believe  that 
*^  mufic  was  heard  in  the  night,  and  that  fpeflres  were 
f^  f6en  hoytfring  about  tlw  place  where  he  was  buried. 
f^  For  thefe  reafons  the  body  yir^s  dug  v^  and  fbot  from 
*'  the  moufli  of  a  cannon/*  Schmidt  R.  G.  yoL  I.  p.  362. 
The  author  of  the  Ruffian  Imppftor  alfo  writes,  **  The 
f '  people  dug  up  his  poor  carcafe  out  of  an  obfcure  grave  5 
f^  and  after  a  repetiticm  of  barbarities  upo^  him,  they 
f^  burnt  the  body,  and  fcatttred  the  aflies  in  the  air.'* 

dreadful 


C.  7*  D    E    M   ?    T    R    I    0   S.  13c 

'  0  ^ 

(Jreadful  fcene  was  finally  clofcd  by  the  dcftion 
of  Vaffili  Ivanovitch  Shuifki  to  the  throne  of 
Ruffia^  Manifeftos  *  were  inimediately  pub- 
}iihed>  in  which  the  new  tzar  juftified  his 
conduct,  and  detailed  the  hiftory  and  fortunes 
of  his  predeceflbr ;  whom  he  pronounced  an 
adventurer,  whofe  real  name  was  Grifka  Otre- 
pief*  He  afcribes  tp  him  an  intention  of 
^tirpating  the  principal  Ruffian  nobility,  and 
of  iptrpducing  the  Roman  catholic  religion 
into  Ruffia :  accufes  him  of  holding  a  corre- 
iponcjpnce  with  the  pope  fpr  that  purpofe ; 
infinuates  that  he  had  even  promifed  to  cede 
^hp  provinces  of  Smolenfkp  and  Seyeria  to  the 
J^ing  of  Poland ;  reprefcnts  him  as  an  heretic 
an4  a  forcerer ;  difplays,  in  the  moft  odious 
cpjpurs,  his  averfion  to  the  manners  and  cuf- 
toms  of  the  Ruflians,  his  attachment  to 
foreigners;  an4  expatiates  with  much  art 
upon  every  part  of  his  char^<3:er  which  was 
moft  likely  to  excite  the  public  hatred  and 
abhorrence,  h  few  days  afterwards  a  mani-f 
fefto  appeared  in  the  name  of  the  tzarina  Ma- 
ria Feodorofha,  in  which  (he  apologizes  for 
having  owned  the  impoftor  for  her  fon,  and 

♦  Mr.  Muller  found  ;thefe  manifeftos  ia  the  archives  of 
Tfherdin,    S.  R.  G.  347.  364,  36$. 

K  4  again 


J36  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.      B.  ^. 

again  acknowledges  that  the  real  Demetrius 
was  aflaflinated  at  Uglitz ;  that  the  impoilor, 
upon  their  firft  interview  near  Mofcow,  firft 
eccoftcd  her  alone  *,  and  threatened  her  and 
her  family  with  the  moft  cruel  torments,  if 
flie  rcfufed  tp  recognize  him  as  her  off- 
fpring. 

All  thefe  allegations,  however,  thus  urged 
againft  the  pretenfions  of  Demetrius,  could 
not  efiace  the  prepoffeffions  entertained  by  the 
generality  of  the  Ruffians  in  fevour  of  his 
imperial  defcent.  A  frefli  infurreftion  was 
hourly  expeded ;  and  fome  tranfient  tumults 
took  place,  in  which  Vaffili  Shuifki  narrowly 
efcaped  deftrudion.  In  this  critical  ftate  of 
affairs  he  had  recourfe  to  the  following  ex- 
pedient, for  the  purpofe  of  appeafing  the  pub- 
lic fuipicions.  A  rumour  being  Ipread,  that 
the  body  of  the  young  prince,  formerly  mur- 
dered at  Uglitz,  had  performed  miracles ;  a 
deputation  of  feveral  bifhops  and  nobles  was 
diipatched  to  take  up  the  hallowed  corpfe 

^  Habe  mit  irh  geredet  qhne  dafs  jem^d  von  den  Bpir 
^ren,  oder  andem  Leuten,  dabey  feyn  doerfen.  S.  R.  G. 
vol.  V.  p.  367.  Margaret,  on  the  contrary,  who  was 
probably  prefent  at  this  interview,  fays  exprcfsly,  "  apres 
*•  conferences  d*un  quart  d'heur,  en  prejence  de  tous  ks 
f*  nobles  it  dc  ceux  de  la  vilUy*  &c.  p.  125. 

from 


c.  7. 


DBMETRIUS. 


J  37 


irom  the  fcpulchre,  and  to  tranfport  it  to 
Mofcow.  *  ^  Upon  opening  the  tomb,"  relates 
Mr,  MuUer  from  the  Ruflian  archives,  **  an 
agreeable  odour  filled  the  whole  church: 
the  body  was  uncorrupted,  and  the  very 
clothes  entire  I  one  of  his  hands,  gra/ped 
£ime  nuts  that  were  iprinkled  with  bloody 
and  which  the  young  prince  had  been  eat* 
ing  at  the  inftant  of  his  afiaflination.  His 
relics  were  carried  in  great  ftate  to  Mof« 
cow:  on  their  approach  to  the  city  thgr 
were  met  by  Vaflili  Shuifld,  the  widow  of 
Ivan  Vaffilievitch  II.  and  a  large  con* 
cour^  of  people,  and  deposited  with  much 
iblemnity  in  the  cathedral  of  St.  Michael* 
During  the  proceiiion  many  troubled  widi 
various  diforders  were  miraculoufly  reftored 
to  health :  after  the  body  had  been  placed 
in  the  cathedral,  thirteen  fick  peribns  de^ 
clared  themfelves  to  have  been  relieved  of 
their  complaints  by  the  interpofition  of  the 
iaint ;  and  the  fame  number  were  healed  on 
the  enfuing  day  *.'* 
Let  us  contraft  this  account  with  the  re- 
lation  of  the  oppofite  party-  **  On  the  4th  of 
*'  June  a  difpute  concerning  Demetrius  aroie. 


*  S.  R.  G.  vol.  V.  p.  371. 


**  between 


L 


€€ 
£6 


1^9  TRAVELS    HITO    JH?S|IA.        «.  3, 

•'  between  the  Strclitz  and  tfe?  peopjf^  ^w}^ 
<*  Verted  that  be  was  ngt  an  impoftQ?,  The 
^^  tzar  and  the  boyaw  cry  wt^  The  pec^pl^ 
♦^  Ihall  have  QcqUr  convidjon  that  the  true 
*^  Demetrius  was  kiUed  at,  UgUtz  i  his  h^dy 
♦*  is  n^w  removing  tQ  Mofcpw,  and  has  peF- 
*«  formed  many  ft upendous  miracles,  Xhe 
^*  bpyars  procured  a  poor  man's  childf  about 

^^  thirteen  yeftrs  of  age,  ent  it5  throaty  and 
having  committed  it  for  a  few  <fey9  tp^^he 
ground,  conveyed  it  to  MofwF?  ^lowed  it 
*^  to  the  people,  and  declared  that  thi*  was 
**  the  true  Demetrius,  whole  body,  .although 
*'  fo  long  interred*  wa?  ftill  uncorrupted, 
*^  which  the  fooliih  multitude  believed,  *nd 
^'  were  appeafed  ^/' 

'  The  reader  will  judge  which  of  the^  tw© 
accounts  is  moil  likely  to  be  true, : 
Tbefe  are  t3be  principal  cifcumftanccp  in 

the  aiEferentures  of  the  perfon,  who  feajted 
himfdf  upon  the  Ruffian  thfone  under  the 
name  of  Demetriu*^    Hip  hiftpry  is  grs»tiy 

involved  in  contradiftion  a^d  pbfpurity ;  un- 
biafled,  however,  by  the  prejudices  of  eidier 
party,  let  us  cou^^e  with  ca^dopr  their 
pf^ofite  3RC|vefentatiQij^ ;    ai^i  endeavour  to 

*  Payerne  ^n  SglwMt  Rvff.  QclT.  ypl,  L  p.  364. 

2  afcertain. 


C;  7*  B   E   M   E    T    R    I   U   S.  I39 

aiccrtain,  whether  he  was  an  impoftor,  or 
the-real  fon  of  Ivan  Vaffilicvitch  II. 

They  who  contend   that  he  was  an  im- 
poftor,  thus  relate  his  hiftory.     He  was  of 
the  family  of  Otrepief  ^  his  real  name  was 
George,  which,  upon  his  affuming  die  mo-» 
naftic  habit  in   the  fourteenth  year  of  his 
age,  he  changed  into  Gregory,  and  was  ge- 
nerally known  by  the  appellation  of  Grilka  ♦ 
Otrepief :  fpr  {btr^  time  he  refided  at  Sufdal, 
and  baying  afterwards  wandered  from  con- 
vent to  .convent,  was  confecrated  deacon  in 
the  monaftery  of  Tchudof  at  Mofcow,  where 
he  was  epaployed  by  the  patriarch  in  tran- 
fcribing  books  for  the  fcrvice  of  the  church. 
It  is  not  afccrtained,  even  from  thefe  accounts 
of  his  life,  at  what  period  he  firft  ftyled  him- 
felf  Demetrius,     Some  report,  that  while  he 
continued  in  ri^  monaftery  of  Tchudof,  he 
obtained    the   moft   minute  information   re- 
lative  to   the   perfon   and   chara<Ser   of   thtf 
prince,  and  even  b^n  to  affume  his  name, 
for  which  he  was  deemed  infane,  and  excited 
the  laughter  of  the  monks.     Others  obferv^;, 
that  he  was  in  pofleflion  of  feveral  jewels 

1 

♦  Grifka,  in  the  RuiB^  |:ongue,  fignifies  little  Gregory. 
He  vi^as  called  alfe  Roftriga,  or  Deferter,  from  having 
quitted  his  convent. 

w^hich 


140         TRAVELS   INTO    RUSSIA.        B.J. 

which  had  formerly  bdonged  to  Demetrius; 
and>  having  one  day  declared  that  he  fhould 
afcend  the  throne  of  Ruffia,  he  was  confined, 
by  order  of  Boris  Godunof,  in  a  diftant  mo- 
naftery,  from  whence  he  efcaped  into  Poland; 
his  adventures  in  which  country  have  been 
already  related. — On  the  contrary,  Margaret, 
who  afferts  that  he  is  the  true  Demetrius, 
gives  the  following  detail. 

Demetrius,  being  refcued  from  afTaflination 
by  the  fubftitution  *  of  another  child,  was 

fecretly 

*  The  prindpal  oljeSicm  to  the  account  of  Margaret 
arifes  from  t^c  difficulty  of  fubftituting  a  child  in  the  place 
of  Demetrius,  particularly  if  the  fon  of  his  nurfe  was  one  of 
tfiC  aflaffins;  and  that  VafTili  Shuilki  is  faid  to  have  exa- 
mined the  body  of  the  deceafed,  ibon  after  the  fiippofed 
ailaffinatiofi.  To  this  it  may  be  anfwered,  that  his  mother 
bad  fiifficient  reafons  to  be  upon  her  guard  againft  the  at- 
tempts of  Boris  Godunof  J  and  it  is  evident  that  fuch  at- 
tempts had  been  made  previous  to  the  afTaflination,  from 
»ihe  following  paflage  in  Fletcher,  who  was  at  Mofcow  In 
the  beginning  of  Feodor's  reign.  "  Befides  the  emperor 
•*  that  now  is,  who  hath  no  child,  nor  ever  like  to  have, 
"  there  is  but  one  more,  a  child  of  fix  or  feven  years  old, 
•*  in  whom  refleth  all  the  hope  of  the  fucceflion,  and  the 
**  pofterity  of  that  houfe.  He  is  kept  in  a  remote  f^aee 
^  from  Mofko,  under  the  tuition  of  his  mother,  and  her 
**^  kindred  of  die  houfe  of  the  Nagaies  j  yet  not  fafe  (as  I 
^  have  heard)  fram  attempts  of  making  away  by  fraSflce  of 

^^foma 


C*  7*  1>    E    M    E    T    R    I    U    S.  I4X 

Iccretly  educated  in  Ruflia  until  the  cle(9ioii 
of  Boris  Godunof,  when  he  was  conveyed  into 

Poland 

^^fome  that  afpire  to  the  fucceffion^  if  this  emperor  die  without 
«  ijfue:'    Fletcher's  Ruffia,  Chap.  V. 

"  U  eft  aflcz  a  prefuppofer,*'  as  Margaret  juftlyobfervcs, 
^  que  la  mere  &  les  autres,  &c.  voyant  ce  but  ou  le  dil; 
^^  Boris  tendoity  eflayerent  par  tous  moyens  a  delivrer  Ten* 
*'  fant  du  danger  ou  il  cftoit.  Or  je  fcay  et  je  crois  que 
*^  Fon  confeflera  qu'il  n'y  avoit  nul  autre  moyen  que  de  Ic 
**  changer  et  en  fuppofer  un  autre  en  fa  place,  et  !e  feiirc 
^  nourrir  fecretement,  en  attendant  ii  le  temps  ne  change- 
**  roit  ou  empecheroit  poi^t  les  deflcins  du  dit  Boris  Fe- 
"  dervits.  Ce  qu'ils  efFe£hierent  fi  bien  que  nuls,  fors 
"  ceuxde  la  partie  n'en  fcurent  rien/'  &c.  p.  154. 

With  refpeft  to  the  privity  of  the  nurfe,  and  her  fon,  the 
mtnefs  6f  the  bell-ringer,  and  the  teftimony  of  Vaflili 
Shuifki,  L'Evefque  makes  the  following  judicious  obferva^ 
tions. 

^'  Mais  ces  circonftances  font  elles  bien  confirmees. 
^  Tous  les  aflaflins  du  tzarevitch  furent  maflacres  prefqu' 
^  auili-tdt  qu'ils  eurent  commis  ce  crime-  lis  n'ont  point 
*'  ete  interroges,  on  n'a  rien  fu  de  leur  bouche.     Un  fon* 

**  neur  de  la  cathedrale  fut  temoin  du  meurtre  de  Dmitri. 

.i      . 

**  Mais  qui  a  re^u  fon  temoignage  ?  Eft  il  meme  certain 
**  que  ce  temoin  ait  exifte  ?  Si  les  affiifSns  furent  tromp6?^ 
**  n'ait  il  pas  pu  I'etre  lui  meme,  et  prendre  pour  le  tzare- 
*'  vitch  un  enfant  du  meme  age  !  Ne  convient-on-pas  que 
'*  fioTis,  &c.  Mais  Chouifki  mais  Clechnin  furent  envoycs 
*'  a  Ouglitcb  par  Boris ;  ils  virent  et  reconhurent  le  corps 
'*  du  tzarevitch  et  liii  rendirent  les  lionneurs  funehres, 
"  Eh  !  lait-on  ce  qu'ont  vu  ces  deux  emiflaires  de  Box\$^ 
'*  ce  qu'ils  lui  ont  rapporte  en  fccret  ?  Lc  corps  meme 

"  qu'iU 


14^         TRAVELS   INTO   RUSSIA*     •  B*  ^4 

Poland  under  the  care  of  the  monk  Grifka^ 
which  afterwards  gave  rife  to  the  report  that 
Grifka  had  pcrfonated  Demetrius.  As  a  proof 
that  they  were  two  diftindt  perfons,  he  in- 
forms us,  that  Boris  Godunof  fent  repeated 
exprefles  to  his  guards  upon  the  frontiers,  to 
prevent  all  travellers  from  quitting  the  coun- 
try, even  fhould  they  be  provided  with  paff- 
ports ;  for  there  were  two  traitors  who  were 
endeavouring  to  efeape  into  Poland.  Mar- 
garet adds,  Griflca  was  thirty-five  year«  of 
age,  and  Demetrius  fcarcely  twenty-four ;  he 
accompanied  the  new  tzar  to  Mcfcow^  and 
was  fecn  by  many  in  thatv.city,  being  a  perfon 
well  known,  and  having  a  brother  who  pof- 
feflcd  an  eftate  near  Galitz :  he  was  noto- 
rious  before  his  flight  into  Poland  for  his 

*  qu'ih  cxaminercnt,  defigur^  par  des  blefliifesj  ct  gard^ 
•*  long-temps  fans  ctre  embaume,  devait  etre  tneconnair« 
*'  fable«  On  ignore  abfolument  ce  quails  ont  decouvert^ 
"  et  ce  qu'ils  ont  penie.  S'ils  •nt  debite  a  leur  retoui' 
*'  une  fiible  concert6e  entr'eux  et  le  mmiftre,  ils  n*ont  pu 
**  dans  le  fuite  faire  connditre  1^  verite,  fans  avouer  qu'ils 
**  avoient  6te  des  fourbes  vendus  i  un  fcelerat,"  &€* 
Vol.  in.  p.  227. -tin  a  word,  the  belief  tfiat  a  child  was 
fubftituted  in  the  place  of  Demetrius,  though  liable  to 
many  objeftions,  is  yet  attended  with  much  fewer  difficul- 
ties, tiian  riie  notion  that  the  tzar  who  reigned  under  the 
name  of  Demetrius  was  aii  impoftor. 

ihfolence 


c.  7-  J>  £  M  t   T   R   1  U  Sv  t4j 

inroloice  and  drtinkennsfs>  ^nd^  on  actount 
of  his  inifcondud^,  was  baaiflied  by  Deme- 
tms  to  Yaroflaf.  Margaret^  moreover,  "Was 
informed  by  an  Engtefh  merchant  of  Yaroflarf", 
well  acqiiiainced  with  Griflca>  that  the  latter, 
upOQ  the  news  of  the  taar's  death,  and  even 
after  the  eledion  of  Vaffili  Shuiiki,  folemnly 
protefted  that  the  faid  Demetrius  was  the 
real  fon  of  Ivan  Vaffilievitch;  and  that  he 
himfelf  was  Griika  Otrepief^  who  had  con- 
duded  the  prince  into  Poland*  Soon  after- 
wards Griika  was  conveyM  to  Mofcow  by 
order  of  Vaffili  Shuifki,  and  totally  difep- 
peared*.  . 

If  this  narrative  is  authentic,  according  to 
the  confeffion  of  Mr.  Muller,  it  completely 
refutes  the  reprcfentation  of  the  oppofite  party. 
In  what  manner  then  does  this  ingenious 
author  attempt  to  difcredit  the  pofitive  tcfti- 
mony  of  Margaret ;  for  upon  this  the  whole 
queftion  feems  to  turn  ?  "  But  how,*'  fays 
he,  "  can  we  imagine,  that  any  one  could 
**  ever  hold  two  perfons  to  be  the  ikmc  indi- 
**  vidual,  at  a  time  when  the  contrary  could 
*'  be  fo  eafily  proved  ?"  The  contrary  .indeed 
could  be  eafily  proved  durii^  the  j^tgn  -of 

*  Margaret,  15!  to  157* 

Demetrius^ 


144         TRAVELS    INTO   RUSSIA.       Bi  ;^4 

Demetrius^  when  Grifka  was  at  Mofcow  or 
at  Yaroflaf,  and  at  a  time  when  few  Ruffians 
doubted  the  fadt;  but  the  afTertion  was  not 
fo  cafy  to  be  refuted  when  Grifka  was  fent  no 
pnc  knows  where,  and  when  no  perfon  durft 
contradiift  the  manifcfto  of  Vaffili  Shuifld- 
Let  us  fuppofe/'  adds  Mr.  MuUer,  **  that 
the  oppofite  party,  in  defiance  of  all 
•*  truth,  had  firft  invented  fo  groundlefs  a 
•*  fable  ;  let  us  fuppofe  that  Grifka  was  im- 
^*  mediately  banifhed,  as  foon  as  the  enemies 
**  of  Demetrius  had  made  the  latter  pafs  for 
**  that  monk  *,  how  does  it  happen  that  no 
•*  writer,  beiide  Margaret  *,  has  taken  notice 
**  (£  fo  remarkable  a  circumflance  ?"  It  is 
generally  allowed  that  one  good  evidence  ought 
to  outweigh  a  croud  of  prejudiced  witnefles  j 
ib  that  if  Margaret^  credibility  is  fuperior  to 
that  of  his  opponents,  we  mufl,  though  he 
ftands  fingle,  aflent  to  the  truth  of  his  ac- 

♦  Margaret  however,  does  not  ftand  fingle  in  fuppofing 
Griiica,  and  him  who  (»fled  for  Demetrius^  to  be  diftind 
prions.  For,  among  oAers,  Conrad  Buflau,  who  was 
pTfiknt  at  Mofcow  during  the  troubles,  aflerts,  that  Deme* 
trius  was  the  natural  fon  of  Stephen  Bathori  king  of  Poland^ 
li^ch  18  fufSdent  to  fhow  Aat  Ac  report  prevailed  at  that 
time  of  Griika  and  the  other  being  different  perfons. 
S.  R.  G.  vol.  V.  p.  191. 

count. 


t%  y^  B    E    M    E    T    R    I    U    S.  14^ 

count.  And  who  are  the  writers  whofe  au- 
thority is  preferred  to  that  of  Margaret  ? 
The  native  hiftorians,  who  wrote  after  tho 
acccffion  of  Vaflili  Shuilki. — But  their  tefti* 
'  mony  cannot  be  admitted  in  thift  cafe;  for 
could  any  Ruffian  venture  to  contradi(9:  the 
manifeilo  of  the  fovercign,  or  call  in  queftion 
the  iani^ty  of  the  relics  eftablilhed  by  a  de^ 
crce  of  the  church  *  ? 

It 

♦ 

^  It  may  perhaps  be  tiioiight  by  many  too  bold  to  iet 
afide  the  authority  of  all  the  Ruffian  hiftorians,  who  may 
be  fuppofed  to  have  obtained  better  intelligence  than  fo- 
i^eigners.  But  Mr.  Muller  calls  in  queftion  the  teftimony 
of  a  Ruffian  embaffiulor  in  favour  of  Demetrius,  becaule  ht 
wrote  at  a  time  when  the  latter  was  upon  the  throne,  and 
acknowledged  by  the  whole  nation :  for  the  fame  reafon^ 
therefore,  we  muft  fet  afide  the  evidence  of  the  Ruffians 
1^0  wrote  after  his  af&ffinadon,  and  at  a  time  when  hi$ 
being  an  impoftor  was  made  an  article  of  the  public 
&ith. 

And,  indeed,  if  it  is  confidered  from  what  fufpicious  me-* 
morials  die  Ruffian  authors  muft  have  drawn  their  mate- 
rials, this  mode  of  reafoning  will  hot  appear  unji^ifiable* 
Of  all , the  Ruffian  writings  rdating  to  the  hiftory  of  De« 
inetrius,  cited  by  Mr.  Midler,  the  principal  are  die  mani*. 
ieftos  of  Shuifki,  and  a  manufcrlpt  account  of  the  troubles, 
compiled  by  order  of  die  tzar  Michael,  and  fent  to  the 
king  of  France  as  a  juftificadon  of  the  war  entered  into 
againft  Sweden,  But  fuch  dgcuments^  IfTuing  £rom  go«^ 
vemment  muft  in  this  ioft^m^f  be  allowed  to  be  very  ex- 

Vol.  II.  L  ceptionabta 


•K- 


4i 


I46  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       8,5^ 

'  It  muift  be  confefFed,  however,  diat  there  i& 
one  author  who  is  not  liable  to  thefe  fufpi- 
cions.  *^  Petreius,"  continues  Mr.  MuUer, 
**  has  given,  in  many  inikaincts,  the  moilb 
'^  exa<3:  intdligence  1  and  he  has  demonftrated 
''  die  impofture  of  the  falfe  Demetrius  with 
^*  many  pnxrfs.  Is  it  poffible,  therefore^  to 
fuppofe  him  Ignorant  that  Demetrius  and 
Grifka  were  two  different  perfbns,  if  that 
^'  fadt  had  been  well  grounded  ?"  Here  then, 
th^  teftimony  of  Petreius  is  put  in  the  oppo- 
fite  fcalc  againft  that  of  Margaret ;  both  fo- 
reigners; both  prefent  at  Mpfcow  at  the  time 
of  the  infurreftion ;  and  both  fuppofed  to  be 
unbiaflcd  by  die  civil  and. religious  prcj:\idice& 
of  the  Ruffians  j  and  yet  both  of  different  fen- 
timents.  Let  us  therefore  examine  their  cha- 
raiSaer  and  fitu^^tion^  and  confider  whether  there 
are  any  circumftanccs  which. render  one  writer 
more  worthy  of  credit  than  the  other.  Mar- 
g;9xet  was  a  Frenchman,  who  entered  the^ 
RuiTian  f^ryipe  in  the  reign  of  Boris  Go4unof  i 
wafe  pitfont  ift  the  army  which  was  fcnt.agiainft 

teptionable  records.— In  all  aferrs,  tfrfiiereii^  the  n&tioflat 
i)rejudices  are  not  concerned,  the  evidence  of  a  native  is  toi 
be  preferred  to  that  of  foreigners;  bliC  the  teftimony  rf 
the  latteV  becom'es*  fuperior,  v^en  the  former  are  warped 

Bjr.fear  or  px'bjudicfe;   '       ;      '  '*  *  "  '*' 

Demetrius  i 


ۥ7*  D    E    M    E    T    &    I    U    S.  147 

Demetrius ;  and  always  adted  with  approved 
bravery  and  fidelity.  Afterwards,  when  De- 
metrius afcended  the  throne,  he  was  conti^ 
nued  in  his  fervice  as  captain  of  the  guards* 
He  poflefled,  therefore,  many  opportunities 
of  inveftigating  his  real  hiftory ;  and  he  has 
recorded  ft  in  a  work  which,  upon  his  return 
to  France,  he  published  at  the  conmiand  of 
Henry  IV.* 

Mr.  MuUer,  however>  objeds  to  the  au- 
thenticity of  Margaret's  narrative  in  the  fol- 
lowing words.  **  A  witnefs  of  this  fort 
**  would  not  be  admitted  in  any  court  of 
**  juftice,  and  cannot,  in  this  inftance,  merit 
our  Jj^ef.  His  judgment  might  be  warp- 
ed ;  partly  from  confidering  it  as  a  difgrace 
**  to  have  engaged  in  the  fervice  of  an  im- 
*^  poftor ;  and  partly  from  not  being  well 
*•  ufed  by  the  oppofite  party  after  the  death 
**  of  the  falfe  Demetrius.  Hence  he  might 
**  be  enticed,  from  motives  of  refentment,  to 
**  brand  with  infamy  the  enemies  of  Deme- 
^*  trius,  and  to  treat  as  mere  falfehoods  all 
•'  the  reports  of  the  impoftor's  real  origin. 
'*  Wc  muft,  therefore,  accufe  Margaret  either 

*  Eftat  de  rEa^>lre  de  Ruifie,  &c.   par  le  Capitain^ 
Margaret. 

L  2  "of 


4€ 


.      » 


148  •i'RAVELS    I  WTO    RUSSIA.        B^  J# 

^^  of  having  advanced  a  falfchood ;  or  fuppofe 
^^  that  he  had  heard  of  another  Otrepief,  whcjr 
*^  was  at  that  time  prefent  at  Mofcow,  and 
'*  whom  he  ftrarigely  confounds  with  Grif- 
'*  ka  *•"  This  is  the  only  objedion  which 
ev^rt  the  ingenuity  of  Mr^  MuUer  can  urge 
againft  Margaret. 

Petreius,  whofe  authority  is  fo  fondly  pre- 
ferred to  that  of  Margaret,  was  miniller  + 
from  Charles  IX.  king  of  Sweden  to  the 
court  of  Mofcow  in  the  reigns  of  Boris  Go- 
dunof,  Demetrius,  and  Vaflili  Shuifki.  The 
clofe  connexion  of  Demetrius  with  Sigif- 
mond  king  of  Poland,  the  inveterate  enemy  of 
Charles  IX.  induced  the  latter  to  fcflder  his 
afliftance  to  Boris  Godunof,  upon  the  firfl 
entrance  of  the  hew  claimant  into  Ruflia. 
Charles  is  alfo  reprefcnted  as  greatly  alarmed 
at  the  fuccefs  of  Demetrius ;  and  immediately^ 
after  '4tis  affaffination  entered  into  a  treaty  of 
the  ftrifteft  amity  with  Vaflili  Shuifki.  It 
was  therefore  the  intereft  of  the  Swedifh  court 
to  reprefent  Demetrius  as  an  impoftor;  and 
Petreius,  as  Swedifh  miniftei*,  was  obliged  to 
countenance    the    report    patronized   by   his 

*  S.  R.  G.  vol.  V.  p.  i8i  aiid  193. 

t  Dalin's  Gefchichte  ven  Schweden,  voL  IV^  p.  475. 

6  maftcil'^ 


i:,  7-  D    E    M    E    T    R    I    U    $.  ^  149 

mafter.  But  if  we  ihould  even  allow  that 
Pctreius  was  not  influenced  in  his  judgment 
by  the  politics  of  hi«  own  court  1  yet,  as  an 
author,  he  is  liable  t<J  great  exception  :  for 
the  numberlefs  ii(aions  and  grofs  roifreprefen- 
|:ation?,  which  he  retails  in  his  Chronicle, 
prove  his  extreme  pronenefe  tq  credulity*. 
Wher^^iis,  on  the  contrary,  the  credibility  of 
|yiaf garet  ftands  unimpeached ;  and  even  the 


♦  Mr.  MuUer  has  noticdl  and  correSed  innumerable 
errors,  ida^ve  to  the  moft  importaiit  tran(a£tions,  in  the 
Chr«mc;fe  of  Peti^ius.  It  wQuld  be  endlqfs  to  mentioa 
(hem.  I  fhall  therefore  only  relate  oni^  which  will  ua«- 
4queftionably  prove  the  credulity  of  Petreius^  **  Feodoi: 
♦-^  Ivanovitch,"  fays  that  author,  *'  upon  his  4eath<^bed, 
^  being  requefted  by  die  nobility  to  name  a  fucceflbr,  an- 
•**  fwercd,  *  That  ^rfon  to  v^om  I  Ihall  deliver  my  fceptr« 
*'  fhall  be  tzar  after  me/  Soon  afterwards  he  offered  it  to 
"  Feodor  Nikititch  Romanof ;  but  he  delivered  it  to  his 
**  brother  Alexander,  who  gave  it  to  a  third  called  John, 
^  who.^efented  it  to  a  fourth  called  Michael.  The  latter 
^  paflcd  it  to  another  nobleman :  at  laft  die  tzar  threw  the 
*•  fceptre  from  him,  crying  out  in  a  paflion,  *  Take  it  who 
"  will ;'  upon  which  Boris  took  it  up,  and  die  tzar  died 
**  immediately."  This  ridiculous  tale  is  contradi<£ted  by 
the  moft  audientic  records,  by  the  whole  hiftory  of  the 
iiibfequent  election  of  Boris  Godunof ;  and  yet  this  is  thft 
ipnriter  whofe  authority  is  oppo(ed  to  Margaret,  See 
§.  R.  Q.  yol.  V.  p.  64,  &c. 


If  3  penetrating 


1  - 


1 50  TRAVELS    iNfO    RUSSIA.        B^  J. 

j>enctratuig  fagacity  of  Mr*  Mulkr  himfelf 
can  only  difcover  in  his  work  a  few  trifling 
errors  which  are  of  no  moment.  It  appears 
then>  that  both  as  to  chara<^er  and  fituation, 
the  teftimony  of  Margaret  is  preferabk  to 
that  of  Petreius  -,  and-  if  the  queftion  is  to  be 
ultimately  decided  by  one  of  thefe  two  writers, 
whofe  authority  is  the  moft  unquefti#nable ; 
the  tzar  who  reigned  under  the  name  of  De- 
metrius was  no  impoftor,  but  the  real  fon  of 
Ivan  Vaflilievitch  11, 

I  fhall  now  throw  together  a  number  of 
particulars;  which,  in  addition  to  thofe  al- 
ready enumerated,  induce  me  to  efpoiife  the 
opinion  that  the  tzar  was  no  impoftor, 

I .  The  condu<9:  of  Boris  Godunof .  2 .  Sup- 
pofed  refemblance  between  the  real  Deme- 
trius and  the  perfon  who  reigned  in  his  name* 

3.  His  fuccefs  and  condud  upon  the  throne. 

4.  Teftimony  of  Maria  Feodorofna.  5.  Ar- 
guments ufed  by  the  Ruflians  to  prove  the 
impofture. 

I .  The  conduct  of  Boris  Godunof  plainly 
demonftrates  that  he  thought  him  the  real 
Demetrius.  For  othcrwife,  why  did  he  not 
produce  Maria  Feodorofna,  the  mother  of 
Demetrius,  and  obtain  her  public  avowal  that 

5  .    ^  ^^^ 


her  fon  wa'9  not  alive  *^  ?  Her  tcftimony  at 
fhat  time  would  liave  ilnqueftionably  afccr- 
tained  the  impofture  of  the  perfon,  who 
claimed  the  throne  as  her  offspring.  Pro- 
bably Boris  Godunof  examined  her  privately ; 
and>  finding  her  to  pcrfift  in  her  affertion, 
that  Demetrius  had  edfcaped  from  Uglitz,  he 
removed  her  to  a  convent  at  a  confiderable 
diftance  from  Mofcow,  that  fhe  might  not 
give  a  ian(Sion  to  the  pretenfions  of  \m 
rival. 

2.  The  fuppofed  refcmblance  between  the 
|)rince  Demetrius,  who  was  educated  at  Uglitz, 
iLvA  the  perfon  who  reigned  under  his  name, 
comes  next  under  confideratk)n.  This  re- 
fcmblance confifted  in  a  wart  under  the  right 
qre,  and  in  one  arm  fhorter  than  the  other. 
^*  But  how  is  it  known,"  fays  Mr.  MuHer 
upon  this  head,  "  that  the  prince  had  thefe 
*^  deffe<a:s  ?  for  they  are  not  mentioned  ih 
*^  the  RuiHan  narratives,  but  are  only  re- 
**  lated  by  foreigners,  who  had  never  feea 
^*  hini.    May  we  not  therefore  fuppolc  them 

mere  inventions,  calculated  to  difpky  fome 


€€ 


♦  **  Puis  taut  da  ftmfles  allegations  pour  perfoader.  i^ 
"  peuple,  qu'il  eftoit  un  impofteur,  fans  que  jamais  Boris 
*'  vouluft  interroger  la  mere  en  public,  pour  temoigner  dc 
**  ce  qui  en  eftoit.**    Margaret,  p.  171, 

L  4  **  refemblance 


152        TRAVELS    IHTO   RUSSIA.         B.  Ji. 

**  rdfemblance   between    the    true  and  falfe 
*'  Demetrius  *  ?'*  In  anfwer  to  this  we  may 
reply,   that  the  RufSan  accounts,   evidently 
compiled  long  after  the  period  in  queftion, 
and  chiefly  taken  from  the  manifeflos  of  go- 
Temmenty  would  never  record  any  circiun- 
ftance  which   might   tend,    in   the  flighteft 
degree,    to  favour  any    likenefs   between  a 
perfon  whom  they  flyled  an  impoftor,  and 
the  young  prince.     And  it  may  be  added, 
that  if  the  tzar  alledged  the  wart  under  his 
right  eye,  and  the  fhortnefs  of  his  arm,  as 
proofs  of  his  being  the  real  Demetrius ;  who 
can  fuppofe  that  the  prince  had  not  thefe 
deipfts,  when  there  were  fo  many  perfbns  of 
the  firft  diftindtion  who  could  contradi<ft  thq 
truth  of  the  report  ?   "  But  even  allowing 
**  the  fad,"    continues  Mr.   Muller,    **  the 
conclufion  by  no  means  follows,   as  the 
ftrongeft  refemblance  has  been  frequently 
**  obferved   between  two  different  perfons ; 
and  it  is  likewife  poffible,  that  the  falfe 
Demetrius  might  have  imitated  a  wart  in 
**  his  face,  and  have  feigned  a  defeat  in  his 
**  arm."     It  is  poflible,   indeed,  to  account 
for  thefe  circumftances  in  this  manner ;  ftill, 

*  S,  R.  G.  vol.  V,  p.  190, 

however, 


€€ 


C.  7f  P    E    M    E    T    R    I    U    S.  153 

however,  they  muft  be  conficjered,  though 
not  as  pofitive,  yet  as  ftrong  prefumptive 
evidence  m  his  favour,  efpecially  when  joined 
to  many  other  collateral  proofs. 

3.  The  fuccefs  of  his  enterprize,  and  his 
co»du(ft  upon  the  throne,  feem  to  prove  that 
he   was    the    real    Demetrius.     He   entered 
Ruffia  vnth  an  inconfiderable  force,  wthich 
increafcd  as  he  advanced ;  and  although  to- 
tally defeated,   and  almoft  defer  ted  by  the 
Poles,  yet  his  army  was  foon  recruited,  and^ 
became  more  formidable  than  before  his  dif- 
comfiture.     Perfons   of  the  firft  diftindlion 
joined  him  from  all  quarters ;  and  the  more 
he  became  perfonally  known  to  the  Ruffians, 
the  greater  number  of  partizans  flocked  to  his 
ilandard.     Nor  did  this  feem  owing  to  any 
want  of  popularity  in  Boris  Godunof,  whofe. 
adminiflration  was   greatly  refpefted  for  its* 
vigour  and  wifdom ;  it  rather  proceeded  from 
a  general  conviction  that  he  was  Demetrius. 
When  he  was  feated  upon  the  throne  he  did 
not    afl:    like  an  impoftor.     Had    he  been 
one,  he  would  fcarcely  have  pardoned  Vaffili 
Shuifki,  who  had  thrown  doubts  upon  the 
reality  of  his  defcent.    Inftead  of  diflbelieving,, 
as  he  did,  the  ftrongeft  reports  of  an  impend^ 
Ing  infurreftion  ;   he  would  have  turned  a 

ready 


It..- 


1 


1^54  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.   J* 

ready  ear  to  the  flighteft  rumours  of  plots 
and  machinations,  and  have  taken  every  pre- 
caution againft  them.  In  a  word,  his -ge- 
neral charafter  was  as  thoughtlefs  and  in*- 
confiderate  as  it  was  open  and  fincere ;  and, 
above  all,  his  freedom  from  fufpicion  and' 
jcaloufy  were  incompatible  with  the  prin- 
ciples of  an  ufurper  ♦. 

4.  The  condud  of  Maria  Feodorofna  muft 
be  admitted  as  fupporting  the  fame  fide  of  the 
queftion.  After  having  openly  acknowledged 
him  for  her  fon,  fhe  is  faid  to  have  publicly 
difowned  him.  If  both  the  avowal  and  de- 
nial were  equally  public,    they  both  might 

♦  **  Puis  parlons,"  fays  Margaret,  "  de  &  demence, 
**  envers  un  chacun  apres  qu'il  fiit  receu  en  Mofco^  ct 
*'  principalement  envers  Vacilli  Choutfqui,  lequel  fut  con- 
•*  vaincu  de  trahifon,  &c.  et  mefmes  fut  ledit  Demetrius 
**  prie  par  tous  Ics  afTiftans  de  le  feire  mourir,  vu  qu'il 
"  s'cftait  toujours  trouve  perturbatcur  du  repos  public. 
*^  Je  parle  comme  ayant  ouy  et  veu  le  tout  de  mes  oretlles. 
*'  Ce  non  obftant,  il  luy  pardonna,  combien  que  Demetrius 
•*  ff  avoit  bien  que  nul  n'ofoit  afpirer  a  la  couronne  que  la 
**  dite  maiibn  de  Chouitfqui.  H  pardonna  auili  a  plufieurs 
^  autres  ;  car  il  eftoit  fans  fotip^on,"  p.  171. 
.  "  Si  il  fe  fut  fenty  coupable  en  aucune  chofe,  il  euft  tn 
"  jufte  fujet  de  croire  les  machinations  et  trahifons  com- 
•*  plottees  et  trammees  centre  fa  perfbnne,  des  quelles  il 
**  etoit  affez  adrerty,  et  y  euft  pu  remetfiet  avec  grande 
^  f^ilftc,'' p...i74, 

equally 


€•7-  1>    E    M   ft    T    R    1   U   §•  155 

iequally  have  been  extorted  by  fear;  and  her 
tcftimony  muft  be  confidered  as  null.  For 
what  credit  can  that  woman  defervc  who 
could  at  one  time  admit  a  perfpn  to  be  her 
.  fon,  and  at  another  rcjed:  him  as  fuch  ?  We 
may  obferve,  however,  this  difference,  that  in 
the  former  inftance  flie  owned  him  in  perfon  ; 
in  the  latter,  fhe  was  not  confronted  with  him, 
but  her  anfwer  was  brought  by  Vdlili  Shuifki*, 
who  was  moft  interefted  to  prove  him  an  im- 
poftor.  It  therefore  follows,  that  if  (as  feems 
to  be  the  cafe)  her  avowal  was  public,  and 
her  denial  wus  not,  the  former  is  more  to  be 
depended  upon  than  the  latter,  and  her  tefti- 
mony  tnuft  be  admitted  in  his  favour  f-  ? 

S.  The 

«  Mr.  MtiHer  fays,  Vaflili  Shuifki  took  the  trouble  of  re^ 
pairing  himfelf  to  the  convent.  Gab  fich  felbft  die 
miiehe. 

t  The  RiifEan  auAors  aflert,  that  at  the  time  when  the 
relics  were  conveying  to  Mofcow,  fee  puMicly  retrained 
the  former  teftimony  which  fee  had  given  in  his  favour^ 
upon  their  firft  interview  near  Moicow ;  confeffing,  thai 
fee  had  been  induced  by  threats,  as  well  as  from  a  Ae^xt 
of  procuring  her  liberty,  to  acknowledge  an  alien  for  her 
fon.  But  how  are  we  certain  that  fee  really  made  this 
public  confeffion  ?  Its  truth  entirely  refts  upon  the  Ruffian 
papers,  which  caanot,  in  this  inftance,  be  efleemed  au^ 
thentic  records.  But  why  was  her  public  recax^icoi 
poftponcd  to  fo  late  a  period  ?  and  why  was  fee  not  con- 

rontcd 


A 


IC6         TRAVELS    INTO   RVS$IA,        8,3* 

5.  The  very  arguments  advanced  by  th^ 
Ruffians  to  afcertain  his  impofture,  ftrongly 
cftablifh  the  cpntrary  ppfition.  For  hpw  wa$ 
the  reality  of  his  imperial  defccnt  invalidate4 
by  his  being  a  forcerer,  an  heretic^  or  a  mufi-r 
cian ;  by  his  prcdiledtion  Xo  the  Poles ;  not 
bowing  to  the  image  of  St.  Nicholas  j  not 
bathing ;  eating  veal  ;  and  fuch  frivolous 
ficcufations  ^.  Does  not  the  adoption  of 
thefc  nugatory  inHnuations  befpeak  a  great 
deficiency  of  folid  arguments  ?  they  may  io-^ 
cline,  indeed,  the  Ruffians  to  believe  him  an 
ufwper,  but  do  not  prove  him  one  in  the 
eyes  of  diipaffionate  judges.  The  truth  iccms 
to  be,  that  a^  he  began  to  lofe  the  afe^on  of 
his  fubjeds  by  his  inconfiderate  contempt  of 
their  cuiloms  and  religion ;  thefe,  and  many 
other  unfavourable  reports,  calculated  to  ratfc 

fronted  with  the  tzar,  when  he  fo  repeatedly  appealed  to 
her  teftimony  as  the  ftrongeft  proof  of  his  being  the  real 
Demetrius  ?  Have  we  not  every  rea^n  to  conclude,  either 
that  (he  did  not  publicly  retnuSb  her  foirmer  afieveradons  in 
bis  favour ;  or  that^  being  in  Vaffili  Shuifki's  power,  (he 
h^  been  finally  compelled  to  a£t  in  fubferviency  to  his 
mandate  ? 

♦  Mafiy  Ruffians,  while  they  confefled  that  Jie  was  the 
real  Ton  of  Ivan  VaffiHevitch,  denied  his  right  to  the  throne, 
becaofe  his  mother  being  the  ieventh  wife  of  that  tzar,  ht^ 
was  illegitimate.    Margaret,  p«  lyi* 

and 


and  increafe  the  popular  odium,  were  circu- 
lated by  Ae  intrigues  of  Vaflili  Shuifki,  who^ 
upon  his  affaflination,  was  raifed  to  the 
throne. 

The  feme  remarks  extend,  with  ftill  greater 
force,  to  the  aflertion,  that  the  body  interred 
at  Uglitz  was  that  of  the  real  Demetrius  from 
its  uncorrupted  ftate,  and  the  miracles  it  per- 
formed. For  the  uncorrupted  ftate  of  that 
body,  when  it  was  firft  conveyed  to  Mofcow, 
evidently  proves  it  to  have  been  fuppofititious ; 
and  the  miracles  it  is  faid  to  have  performed 
will  convert  no  profelytes  without  the  pale 
of  the  Ruffian  church.  When  every  other 
expedient  failed  of  convincing  the  •  generality 
of  the  Ruffians,  that  the  late  tzar  was  an 
impoftor,  recourfc  was  finally  had  to  pre- 
tended miracles  and  iacred  relics.  And  it 
muft  be  allowed,  that  this  method  of  con- 
vincing an  ignorant  and  fuperftitious  people 
who  doubted  (and  there  were  many  who 
doubted)  was  a  ftroke  of  the  moft  confum- 
mate  policy  i  as  by  thefe  means  the  aflertions 
of  Vaffili  Shuilki  were  fandlified  by  an  ec- 
clefiaftic^l  decree ;  and  the  impofture  of  his 
rival  became  an  article  of  public  faith. 
Indeed,  fuch  is  the  fuperftition  with  which 
the  ufurpation  of  Grifka  is  ftill  maintained, 

that 


158  TRAVELS    INTO   RUSSIA*       B.  3> 

that  even  at  this  diflance  of  time  no  Ruffian 
liiftorian  could  venture  to  hint  that  Dcme-' 
trius  was  not  aflaffinated  at  Uglitz,  and  that 
the  perfon  who  alTumcd  his  name  was  not 
Grifka  :  for  it  would  be  contradiding  a  fun- 
damental principle  of  belief^  and  rejeding 
the  relics  of  a  faint  much  revered  in  this 
country* 

Cut  it  is  time  to  finiHi  this  inquiry ;  and 
I  ihall  only  add ;  that  having  endeavoured  to 
examine  the  hiftory  of  the  tzar  Demetrius 
without  prejudice  or  partiality,  I  am  ftrongly 
inclined  to  belkve  that  he  wz$  not  an  im-* 
poftor,  bat  the  real  perfonage  whofe  name  he^ 
(iflujiied*. 

♦  For  the  hiftory  of  Demetrius,  fee  Petreius  Mpfcov. 
Chron.  Margaret's  Eftat  de  la  Ruflie,  p.  18 and  19. — iix 
— 175,  Payern  in  Schmidt.  RufT.  Gef.  vol,  11.  and  par- 
ticularly MuUcr's  S,  IL  G.  vol.  V.  p.  181  to  3S0.  That 
ingenious  au^or  has  drawn  together,  in  one  point  of  view, 
the  principal  events  of  this  troublefome  aera,  and  ha$  re- 
conciled, as  much  as  poffible,  the  contradictory  accounts 
of  the  different  writers  :  and  though  he  has  entirely  adopted 
ti^e  Rufltan  prejudices,  yet  he  has  given  the  arguments  of 
the  oppofite  party  with  as  much  candour  as  could  be  exr 
pe£led  from  an  author  who  wrote  in  RuiSa. 


CHAP. 


ۥ8.      SQPfllA      ALEXIEFNA.  159 


CHAR     VIIL 

Of  the  prtncefs  Sophia  Alexiefna. — Her  cba^ 
raSier  mifreprefented — and  from  what  caufes. 
—Her  power  and  influence  during  the  reign 
g/Teodor  Alexievitch, — Upon  his  demife  ex^ 

•  eluded  from  all  pare  in  the  adminifiration  of 
affairs. — Peter  appointed  tzar  to  the  preju^ 
dice  of  his  brother  Ivan. — Proofs  that  he  was 
not  raifed  to  the  throne  by  the  nomination  of 
Feodor,  and  that  his  eleSfion  was  not  unani^ 
mous. — InfurreBion  of  the  S  trelite,^ — Tumult 
and  maffacre. — Ivan  and  Peter  declared  joint 
foivereigns^  and  Sophia  regent.  —  Probable 
caufes  of  that  revolution. — The  conduSl  (f 
'  Sophia  jujiified  from  various  afperfons.  — 
Her  fall  and  imprifonment .- — Unjifflfy  accufed 
of  attempting  to  affaffinate  Pfcter. — Rebellion 
of  the  S  trelitz . — Defeated.  —  Fruit lefs  at^ 

'  tempts  to  conviSl  Sophia  of  a  correfpondenct 
with  the  rebels. — &he  affumes  the  veil. — Her 
death. 

THERE  is  fcarcely  any  portion  in  the 
annals  of  this  country  more  important 
than  the  minority  of  Peter  the  Great;  and 
fto  chanK^JCt  more  grofsly  mifreprefented  thaii 

that 


l6o   •      TRAVfiLS    INTO    fttfSJSlA.        Si  3* 

that  of  his  fitter  Sophia  Alexicfna,  who  go^ 
verned  R^uffia  during  that  period.  This  il- 
luftrious  princcis  united,  in  a  very  extraordi- 
nary degree,  a  variety  of  perfonal  and  mental 
accomplifhments ;  but  as  fhe  headed  a  party 
in  oppofition  to  Peter,  the  idolatry,  which 
has  been  univerfally  paid  to  his  extenfive 
genius,  has  greatly  contributed  towards  dimi- 
Biihing  the  luftre  of  her  adminiftration. 

I  was  led  into  thefe  reflections  from  a  vifit 
which  I  paid  to  the  Devitchei  nunnery  in  the 
(uburbs  of  Mdfcow,  where  Sophia  was  con- 
fined during  the  laft  feventeen  years  of  her 
life ;  and  as  we  have  fcarcely  any  knowledge 
pf  her  charader  but  through  the  medium  of 
her  adverfaries,  I  fhall  throw  together  a  few 
particukrs,  which  induce  me  to  judge  favour- 
ably of  her  condudt ;  and  fhall  endeavour  to 
re&ue  her  name  from  that  obloquy,  which 
ha$  fo  unjuftly  perfecuted  her  memory  *• 

Sophia 

♦  Three  foreign  writers  have  principally  contributed 
to  render  the  character  of  Sophia  extremely  odious. 

I,  The  ftrft  of  thefe  writers  is  Gordon,  in  his  Life  of 
Peter  the  Great.  But  his  teftimony  is  in  this  inft^nce 
extremely  exceptionable,  as  well  on  account  of  his  noto* 
lious  partiality  to  Peter,  as  becaufe  he  was  particalarly 
prejudiced  agaii^  prince  Vai&li  Galitzi%  Sophia's  primt 


G;8.      8OPH1A    Alexiefna.       i6i 

Sophia  was  b6rri  in  the  month  of  Odober, 
1658*     Her  father,    Alexey  Michaelovitch^ 

the 

minifter,   tot  having  degraded  hi^  relation  and  patfoii 
general  Patrick  Gordon.     See  Korb  Diarium,  p.  216. 

2.  The  fecond  author  is  La  Neuville,  in  his  Relatioil 
de  la  Mofcovie,  who  dignifies  himfelf  with  the  title  of 
cnVoy  from  the  king  of  Poland  to  the  court  of  Mofcow  J 
and  is  generally  fuppofed  to  have  been  refident  in  that  city 
at  the  time  of  Sophia's  fall.  His  authority,  therefore,  is 
deemed  unqueftionable ;  and  the  enemies  of  this  princeft 
have  not  failed  to  cite  it  in  proof  of  their  accufations. 
Any  perfon,  however,  in  the  leaft  converfant  with  the  hif- 
tdry  of  Ruflia,  will  perceive  in  this  work  the  grofleft  con- 
tradictions, and  .the  moft  abfurd  tales.  The  author, 
after  loading  the  character  of  Sophia  with  more  deceit  and 
cruelty  than  ever  difgraced  a  Tiberius,  or  a  Csefar  Borgia, 
affeSls  the  moft  perfe£k  knowledge  of  all  the  fecret  cabals 
between  her  and  prince  Galitzin :  he  aflerts  their  inten- 
tion of  marrying ;  of  re*-uniting  the  Greek  and  Latin 
churches;  of  compelling  Peter  to  affume  the  monadic 
habit,  or,  if  that  failed,  of  aflaffinating  him ;  of  declaring 
the  children  of  Ivan  illegitimate;  and  of  fecuring  the 
throne  to  themfelves  and  their  heirs.  And  as  if  this 
chimerical  project  had  been  thought  fure  of  fuccefs,  he 
adds,  that  prince  Galitzin  had  ftill  further  views  :  he 
hoped,  that  by  re-uniting  Ruffia  to  the  Roman  catholic 
church,  he  fliould  be  able  to  obtain  the  pope's  permiffion' 
(if,  as  he  flattered  himfelf,  he  fhould  furvive  Sophia)  to 
appoint  his  own  legitimate  fon  his  fucceflbr  to  the  throne, 
in  preference  to  thofe  whom  he  (honld  have  by  the  princefs, 
while  his  wife  was  alive.  But  fuch  abfurd  accounts  carry 
their  own  refutation,  and  the  writer  who  retails  them  muft 

Vol.  II.  M  fu^ely 


162;      TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        ?.  J, 

the  iecond  fovereign  of  the  houfe  of  Romanoff 
was  twice  married  ;  firft  to  Maria  Ilinitchna 

of 

^rdy  deferve  no  degree  of  credft,  even  fliodd  he  be  ^  le 
*'  temoin  oculaire,"  as  Voltaire  ftyles  him,  •*  de  ce  qur 
*^  fe  paffa."  But  the  truth  is,  that  this  envoy  to  Mofcow 
IS  a  fuppofititious  perfon :  the  author  was  onp  Adrien  Baillet, 
who  ftyled  himfelf  de  la  Neuville,  from  a  village  of  that 
name,  in  which  he  was  horn,  and  was  never  in  RMffia^ 
The  Relation  de  la  Mofcovie  was  publiflied  at  the  Hague 
in  1699  ;  and  was  probably  compiled  by  the  author  from 
.the  vague  accounts  of  fome  of  Peter's  adherents,  who  ac- 
companied that  monarch  into  Holland  in  the  year  i69t7* 
1  (hall  have  occafion  to  mention  other  obJeitioAS  againft 
the  authenticity  pf  this  performance. 

See  Menkeni  Bibliotheca,  where  La  Relation  de  la 
Mofcovie  is  mentioned  among  ^e  works  of  Adrien  Baillet^ 
For  an  account  of  that  author,  fee  Niceron  Hommes  lUuf^ 
tres ;  article  Ad.  Baillet. 

3.  Voltaire  has  contributed  more  than  any  other  writer 
tp  fprcad  reports  injurious  to  Sophia ;  but  the  truth  of  bis 
narrative  of  her  rife^  adminiftration,^  and  fall,  is  liable  ta 
the  ftrongeft  objeftions:  he  draws  many  fe£ls,.  urged 
againft  Sophia,  fron;  the  work  of'the  fuppofedPdiih  cnvoy> 
La  Neuville,  which  has  been  juft  ihown  to  be  of  no  au- 
thority ;  and  extr?.6b  the  remainder  almoft  foleTy  from 
certain  memoirs,  which  being  tranfinitted  to  him  by  order 
of  the  emprefe  Elizabeth,  Peter's  daughter,  would  naturally 
throw  the  fevereft  cenfures  upon. Sophia,,  and  adopt  all  the 
njiifreprefentations  of  her  adverfaries* 

But  the  violent  prepofiefliens  conceived  agamft  the  me- 
mory of  this  unfortunate4)rincefs  begin  to  fubfide.  Mul- 
ler  has  ventured  to  juftify  her  character  in  fome  inftances;^ 

the 


t.S.     SOPHIA    ALEXIEPNA4       163 

of  the  family  of  Milolaflki ;  fccondly,  to  Na- 
talia Kirilofna,  of  the  family  of  Narilkin  :  by 
the  former  he  had  Feodor,  Ivan,  and  feveral 
princefles^    among   whom   was    Sophia;   by 
the  latter,  Peter  the  Great.     During  Maria's 
life,  her  family  was  diftinguifhed  by  Alexey, 
and  enjoyed  a  confiderable  influence ;  but  after 
her  deccafe,  and  upon  his  marriage  with  Na- 
talia, their  power  was  eclipfed  by  the  fuperior 
afcendancy  of  the  Nariflcins,  who  fucceeded  to 
the  confidence  and  favour  of  their  fovereign. 
Hence  two  parties  were  formed  in  the  court ; 
and  perpetual    q^uarrels  took    place  between 
the  children  of  Alexey  by  his  firft  wife,  and 
their  ftep-mother  Natalia.     During  this  pe- 
riod, Ivan  Michaelovitch  Milolaffki,  the  head 
of  that  family,  endeavoured  fecretly  to  under- 
mine the  Nariikins :    he  attributed  to  their 
influence  that  the  taxes  were  increafed :  that 

the  author  of  the  Antidote  to  the  Abbe  de  Chappc's  Jour- 
ney into  Siberia,  fpeaks  of  her  in  a  favourable  manner ; 
and  L'Evefque  has  evidently  Ihewn,  that  her  charaSer  has 
been  grofsly  mifreprefented,  that  fhe  was  a  princefs  of  great 
merit,  and  by  no  means  deferving  of  the  reproaches  which 
have  been  caft  upon  her  conduit.  I  had  already  finifhed 
this  chapter,  as  well  as  the  laft,  before  his  hiftory  made  its 
appearance;  and  though  the  arguments  of  that  judicious 
hiftorian  had  no  (hare  in  forming,  they  certainly  confirmed 
my  opinion  in  favour  of  Sophia. 

M  2  the 


164         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA*       B,  3. 

the  pay  was  with-held  from  the  foldiery ; 
and,  in  a  word,  reproached  them  as  the  au- 
thors of  all  the  grievances  which  were  urged 
againft  the  government  of  Alexey,  By  thefe 
and  other  artifices  he  laboured  to  render 
them  unpopular;  and  having  gained  over 
to  his  party  a  large  body  of  Strelitz  *,  waited 
for  a  favourable  opportunity  of  executing  his 
defigns  f. 

Upon  the  acceflion  of  Feodor  to  the  throne, 
his  relations,  the  family  of  Milolaflki,  re- 
aflumed  their  former  importance,  and  the 
Narifkins  were  excluded  from  all  fliare  in  the 
adminiftration  of  affairs. 

Sophia  had  gained  the  efteem  and  aifedlion 
of  her  brother  Feodor,  by  the  fuperiority  of 
her  underftanding ;  her  infinuating  addrefs  ; 
and  unwearied  attention  during  the  long  illnefs 
which  at  length  brought  him  prematurely  to 
the  grave.  To  her  that  weak  prince,  whofe 
infirmities  rendered  him  unfit  to  govern,  re- 
figned  the  abfolute  direction  of  afiairs ;  and, 
at  her  fuggeftion,  placed  his  fole  confidence 

♦  The  Ruf&an  regiment  of  guards  were  called  Strelitz, 
or  Streltfi,  until  they  were  fuppreiled,  and  the  name  abo* 
liihed,  by  Peter  the  Great. 

f  SumorokoFs  Auiruehr  der  Strelitzen^  p.  4* 

2  m 


C.  8.        SOPHIA      ALEXIEFNA.         165 

in  prince  Vaffili  Galitzin,  a  nobleman  who 
had  greatly  diftinguifhed  himfelf,  under  the 
reign  of  Alexey  Michaelovitch,  for  his  politi- 
cal abilities. 

Upon  the  demife  of  Feodor  without  iffue, 
on  the  27th  of  April,  1682,  Ivan  his  brother, 
and  rightful  heir  of  the  throne,  was  excluded 
from  the  fucceflion  on  account  of  his  incapa- 
city, and  his  half-brother  Peter  was  declared 
tzar.  In  regard  to  this  event,  the  partizans 
of  Peter  endeavour  to  eftablifti  two  pofitions  : 
I .  That  he  was  raifed  to  this  dignity  in  con- 
fequence  of  Feodor's  exprefs  appointment; 
and,  2.  By  the  unanimous  voice  of  the 
nation. 

I.  With  refped  to  the  firft  pofition,  that 
Peter  was  nominated  tzar  in  confequence  of 
Feodor's  *  exprefs  appointment;  when  we 
confider,  that  Fepdor  was  entirely  governed 
by  Sophia  and  his  own  family,  it  is  not  pro- 
bable, that  he  fhould  adt  ill  diredt  oppofition 
to  their  interefts,  and  enfure,  by  the  nomina- 
tion of  Peter,  the  adminiftration  of  affairs 
to  the  Narifkins  :  and  this  ftate  of  the  cafe 

*  Feodor  avant  d'cxpirer,  voyant  que  fon  frere  Ivan, 
trop  difgracie  de  la  nature,  etait  incapable  de  regner,  nom- 
ma  pour  heritier  dcs  Ruffes  fon  fecond  frere  Pierre,  S^c. 
Voltaire, 

M  3  '  has 


l66         TRAVELS    INTO    R  U  S-S  PA»        B,  3^ 

has  been  lately  eftabliftied  by  an  hiftorian  ^ 
of  unqueftionablc  authority,  who  info<-ni$  us, 
upoij  the  authority  of  the  moft  authentic 
records,  that  Peter  did  nqt  owe  his  ekyatioa 
to  any  declaration  of  Feodor  in  his  favour,  but 
merely  to  the  fufFrages  of  thofe  perfons  iq, 
whom  the  right  of  nominating  the  fuccelTor 
was  veiled, 

2.  In  regard  to  the  fecond  pofition,  the 
vmanimity  of  Peter's  eledion  -,  Mullcr,  who 
has  explored  the  Ruffian  archives  with  a 
view  of  afcertaining  this  point,  can  fupply  us 
with  no  better  proofs  than  the  following  in- 
formation -f-. 

**  Soon  after  the  death  of  Feodor,  all  the 
^*  fcrvants  of  the  court,  the  officers,  and  ec- 
•*  clefiaftics,  who  were  then  at  Mofcow,  af- 
^*  fembled  in  the  palace  and  the  court-yard  to 
^^  kifs  the  hand  of  the  deceafed  monarch  ; 
^*  after  which  ceremony  they  alfo  kiiled  the 
*'  hands  of  the  tRVO  princes  Ivan  and  Peter, 
**  the  former  of  whom  was  fixteen,  and  the 
**  latter  ten  years  of  age.  The  ill  health  of 
^*  Ivan^  the  hopeful  appearance  of  Peter,  and 

*  Prince  Sherebatof,     See   Bach«   RufT.  Bib.  vol.  V, 
p.  502. 

t  Von  Peter's  ded  Groflen  erftcrn  Gclangung  zum 
Thron.  in  Jour,  Pet.  for  1780. 

''  thQ 


C  S.      /SOPHIA      ALEXliPNA.         167 

the  well-known  prudence  and  virtue  of 
his  mother  *,  induced  all  who  were  prefent 
to  prefer  the  younger  to  the  elder  brother, 
and  unanimoufly  to  raife  Peter  to  the  throne. 
The  aftonifhing  quiet  and  unanimity  with 
which  this  important  affair  was  accom- 
plifhed,  feems  to  prove,  that  it  was  precon- 
certed  by  the  patriatch  and  principal  nobi- 
lity.  The  patriarch  Joachim,  defcended 
from  a  noble  family;  was  at  the  head  of 
this  tranfaftion*  As  foon  as  the  principal 
courtiers,  ecclefiaftics,  nobles,  officers,  mer- 
chants, and  a  great  concourfe  of  people, 
were  affembled  before  the  imperial  palace^ 
he  demanded  of  them,  whom  they  would 
nominate  tzar,  Ivan  or  Peter  ?  The  quef- 
tion  was  extremely  unufual^  but,  being  juf- 
tified  by  the  circumflances,  was  imme- 
diately anfwered  in  favour  of  Peter.  Pro- 
bably the  party  of  Ivan  had  not  forefeen  that 
a  younger  prince,  who  was  a  minor,  would 
be  preferred  to  his  elder  brother ;  and  were 

• 

*  This  princefs  Was  theft  fca/'cely  %\  years  of  age,  and 
liad  hitherto  given  no  proofs  of  her  prudence  and  wifdom, 
-^L'Evefque  more  juftly  flyles  her  ^  jcune  princefle  qtij 
**  n'avoit  pu  fe  fairc  encore  aucune  reputation." 

M  4  *^  therefore 


l68         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.J. 

'*  therefore  not  prepared  to  make  any  qppojition 
**  to  the  appointment  of  Peter. 

^'  Two  contradid:ory  accounts  of  this  no- 
**  mination  are  given  in  two  of  the  moft  au- 
**  thcntic  records  in  the  archives  of  Mofcowi. 
^*  The  firft  informs  i^s  that  Ivan,  as  the  eldeft> 
'^  publicly  renounced  his  right  to  the  crown, 
**  before  it  could  be  conferred  upon  Peter : 
^'  the  fecond  makes  no  mention  of  tljis  re- 
**  n^nciation,  but  afcribes  the  nomination 
^*  of  Peter  to  the  general  wifhes  of  \h^ 
^'  nation." 

The  firft  record  in  the  office  for  foreign 
affairs  thus  relates  the  tranfadtion. 

**  And  the  patriarch  Joachim,  and  the 
•'  metropolitans  and  ^rchbifhops,  and  all  the 
*^  clergy,  and  the  Siberian  and  Kaffimovian 
'*  princes,  and  the  Boiars  an^  Okqlnitfhi, 
**  and  the  Doumnie-Diaki,  and  the  Stolnics 
f  *  and  Straeptflii,  and  the  npbility  of  Mofcow, 
f  *  and  the  Shilitfi,  and  the  nobles  from  the 
*'  country,  and  ^he  fplcjiers  and  Gqfti,  and 
•*  the  merchants  and  people,  entreated  the 
V  princes,  Ivan  and  Peter,  that  one  of  them 
♦'  would  pleafe  to,  afcend  the  hereditary  throne 
S^  of  Ruffia,"  &c:  Andthetzarovitch  Ivan  faid, 
**  It  being  advantageous  for  the  public  that 
1'  my  brodier  the  tzarovitch  and  great-duke 

f*  Peter 


C.  8.       SOPHIA     ALEX  I  j:  FN  A.         169 

^*  Peter  fhould  afcend  the  throne  of  Ruflja, 
**  becaufe  his  mother  the  tzarina  Natalia  is 
^*  alive:  I,  therefore,  the  tzarovitch  and  great- 
^*  duke  Ivan,  refign  the  throne  to  the  tzaro- 
**  vitch  and  great-duke  Peter.  And  the  tzar 
^*  and  great-duke  Peter  afcended  the  throne," 

According  to  the  other  record,  which  is 
in  the  Journal  of  Occurrences  at  court,  **  the 
^*  patriarch  demands  of  the  perfons  affembled 
^*  for  the  nomination  of  the  new  fovereign, 
^^  whoni  they  would  ele<3:  tzar,  Ivan  or 
**  Peter.  And  the  Stolnics  and  Straeptfhi, 
**  and  the  nobles,  and  the  Diaki,  and  the  Shi- 
^*  litfi,  and  the  Dietiboiarfki,  and  the  Gofti, 
**  and  the  merchants,  and  the  other  people  of 
^'  different  ranks,  anfwered  unanimoufly,  that 
^*  the  throne  of  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  great 
**  Ruffian  empire  belonged  to  Peter  Alexie- 
**  vitch ;  and  then  the  patriarch  addreffed 
**  the  Boiars,  Okolnitfhi,  privy  (^punfellors, 
^'  and  principal  perfons  belonging  to  the 
"  court  y  and  the  Boiars,  &;c.  anfwered  una- 
**  nimoufly.  The  tzarovitch  and  great-dukQ 
^'  Peter  is,  by  the  choice  of  all  the  ftates  and 
^'  people  of  the  Mofcovite  empire,  tzar  an4 
^^  great-duke  of  all  Great,  Little,  and  White 
''  Ruffia,"  &c.  &c. 

We 


IJO         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B*  ^^ 

Wc  iftay  remark  upon  thefe  extracts,  th^t 
feeing  evidently  compiled  by  the  friends  of 
Peter,  even  if  they  did  not  contradid:  each 
other,  their  authority  would  be  exceedingly 
^exceptionable ;  nor  could  their  filence,  with 
refpeit  to  any  oppofition,  be  confidered  as  i 
fufficient  teftimony  that  the  fuffrages  in  favour 
of  Peter  were  unanimous ;  becaufe  his  adhe- 
rents would  never  record  any  particulars 
tending  in  the  fmalleft  degree  to  invalidate  his 
pretenlions,  or  to  fupport  thoie  of  Ivan.  Be- 
iides,  when  we  recoiled:  the  power  of  the 
family  of  Milolafj(ki  during  the  reign  of  Feo- 
dor  5  the  influence  which  prince  Vaffili  Galit- 
f,m  muft  have  acquired  from  his  office  of 
prkne  miniftef ;  and  particularly  the  infinuat- 
}ng  manners  and  popularity  of  Sophia;  all 
ef  whom  were  bound,  not  only  by  the  ftrong- 
eft  ties  of  intereft,  but  even  for  their  common 
jfecurityy  to  ftipport  the  caufe  of  Ivan;  we 
cannot,  with  any  degree  of  probability,  fup- 
•fofe,  that  the  nomination  of  Peter  was  as 
unanimous  as  it  is  reprefented.  And  indeed 
it  is  certain  *,  that  a^  riobfeman,  named  Sum- 
talof,  ibfolutely  objected  to  the  invalidity  of 
|he  ele<Sion,  becaufe  the  younger  brother  was 

t  Smnorokof,  p.  55—57. 

preferred 


C.  8.       60PHJA     ALEXIEFNA,        171 

•  • 

preferred  to  the  elder ;  that  his  remonftrancQ 
was  followed  by  thofe  of  many  others ;  and 
that  even  the  patriarch  Joachin?,  who  is 
lefteemed  by  Mr,  Muller  a  ftrong  advocate  of 
Peter>  foon  afterwards  embraced  the  party,  of 
Jvan :  thefe  circumilances  feem  to  imply  that 
Peter  was  not  raifed  to  the  throne  by  the 
unanimous  voice  of  the  nation ;  and  that  the 
fufFrages  of  the  aflembly  had  httn  furprized  by 
th^  fecret  machinations  of  the  Narifkins. 

Peter,  however,  by  whatfoever  means 
his  nomination  was  obtained,  received,  as 
^ole  fovereign,  the  fealty  of  his  fubjed:s  j 
and  the  government  was  entrufted  to  his  mo- 
ther Natalia,  But  this  ftate  of  affairs  w^s  of 
no  long  duration ;  the  party  in  oppofitioa 
to  Peter  was  ftrong  and  powerful ;  his  elec- 
tion was  not  as  yet  confirmed  by  the  whole 
body  of  Strelitz,  who,  to  ufe  the  fpirited  ex- 
preffion  of  a  Ruffian  author,  poffefTed  abovcf 
14,000  armed  votes  * ;  and  their  peculiar 
fituation  at  this  important  jundture  rendered 
them  fit  inftruments  of  a  new  revolution. 

Juft  before  Feodor's  demife,  and  even 
while  that  monarch  was  at  the  point  of  death  i 
fiine  of  thefe  regiments,  quartered  at  Mofcow, 

f  X4198  bewafFnete  ftimme,    S4inorokof,  p.  19. 

.    having 


172         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA,        B.  3. 

having  tumultuoufly  affembled,  demanded  rc- 
drefs  of  the  ill-treatment  they  pretended  to 
have  received  from  their  colonels,  and  an 
inftant  difcharge  of  all  their  arrears.  Prince 
George  Dolgorucki,  their  chief,  having  or- 
dered one  of  the  ringleaders  to  be  feizcd,  ftrip- 
ped,  and  punifhed  with  the  knoot,  an  im- 
mediate infurredHon  was  the  confequence; 
the  executioners  were  infulted,  and  the  pri- 
foners  refcued  *.  On  the  day  fubfequent  to 
the  interment  of  Feodor,  the  foldiers  proceed- 
ed in  a  large  body  to  the  Kremlin,  and  pre- 
fented  a  petition  againft  nine  of  their  colonels, 
who  being  delivered  to  them  by  the  miniftry, 
as  the  only  means  of  appeafing  the  tumult, 
they  were  publicly  whipped  and  difchar- 
gcd  -f-.  Ivan  Milolaflki  inflamed  the  difcon- 
tents  of  this  mutinous  body ;  and  though  he 
was  confined  to  his  chamber  by  a  pretended 
ficknefs,  he  yet  contrived  to  hold  feveral  inter- 
views with  the  ringleaders,  who  aflcmbled 
at  night  in  his  palace.  Sophia  is  alfo  ac- 
cufed  of  being  prefent  at  thefe  meetings; 
of  diftributing  money  to  the  principal  infur- 
gents  5  and  of  exalperating  them  againft  the 

*  Gordon,  p.  70. 

t  Ibid.  p.  72  i  and  Voltaire, 

family 


C.  8,       S  O  P  ri  I  A      A  L  E  X  I  E  F  N  A.         I73 

family  of  Narifkin-     On  the  morning  of  th« 
J  5  th  of  May,  a  report  being  fpread  that  Peter 
was  not  unanimoufly  eled:ed ;  the  drums  beat 
to  arms  by  order  of  Ivan  Milolaflki,  and  the 
Strelitz   being  tumultuoufly   aflembled,    two 
perfons  of  his  party  entered   their  quarters, 
crying,  "  The  hour  of  vengeance  is  at  hand, 
*^  Ivan  Alexievitch  is   aflaffinated,   and   the 
"  Narifkins  are  matters  of  Ruffia.     Revenge 
*  *  the  murder  of  the  tzarovitch  • ' '   The  foldiers, 
being  inflamed  to  fury  by  thefe  exclamations, 
marched  inftantaneoufly  with  drums  beating 
and  colours  flying  to  the  Kremlin ;  tolled  the 
great  bell  ^  furrounded  the  palace ;  and  de- 
manded the  traitors  who  had  aflfafllnated  Ivan : 
although   the   tzarina  immediately  produced 
both  Ivan  and  Peter ;  yet  they  were  not  ap- 
peafed,  but  vehemently  called  aloud  for  the 
execution  of  the  Nariflcins,  whofe  ambition 
and   tyranny  would  entail  ruin   upon   their 
country;  adding,    that   although   Ivan    had 
hitherto  efcaped  their  machinations,  he  was 
yet  in  danger  of  being  aflaflinated  at  fbme 
future  period ;  and  their  fury  was  ftill  further 
augmented  by    a   rumour   indufl:rioufly   cir- 
culated, that  Ivan  Nariflcin,  the  brother  of  the 
tzarina,  had  feized  the  diadem  and  royal  robes. 
In  the  midft  of  this  tumult,  one  of  the  ofS- 

ters 


f74        TRAVELS    INTO    ftliSSiA*        B.  p 

cers  ventured  to  harangue  die  foldiers:  he 
aflored  them,  that  Ivan  Alexlevitch  v^ras  in 
perfed:  fafety  ;  that  all  their  grievances  fliould 
be  redrefled ;  and  exhorted  them  to  difperfe. 
This  harangue  feemed  to  make  a  fenfible  im- 
prdfion,  and  the  tumult  was  fubfiding  ;'when 
prince  Dolgorucki  imprudently  threatened 
them  with  the  fevereft  punifhment  for  their 
mutiny  and  rebellion  :►  inflamed  by  this  ill- 
timed  menace,  they  feized  the  prince;  hurled 
him  into  the  air;  received  him  upon  their 
pikes  ;  and  hewed  his  body  to  pieces  •  This 
affaflination  was  but  the  prelude  to  a  more 
general  maflacre;  which  took  place  in  the 
Kremlin^  and  in  different  parts  of  Mofcow ; 
and  continued  during  three  days  without  in- 
termiffion.  It  would  be  nfeedlefs,  as  well  as 
ihocking  to  humanity,  to  enter  upon  a  detail 
of  all  the  niurders  committed  by  this  lawlefs 
rabble:  it  is  fufBcient  to  obferve,  that  not 
only  the  two  brothers  of  the  tzarina,  and  a 
few  others  moft  obnoxious  to  the  infurgents, 
fell  vidims  to  their  fury,  but  feveral  perfons, 
by  no  means  unpopular,  were  facrificed  amidil 
the  general  confuiion ;  and  as  the  foldiers  were 
roufed  almoft  to  madnefs  by  intoxication,  the 
houfes  of  many  citizens  were  plundered,  and 
the  city  underwent  a  general  pillage. 

In 


P.S.        SOPHIA      4:pp?JEFNA*         I75 

In  order  to  clofe  this  horrid  fceae,  the 
principal  nobles  aflembled  on  the  1 8  th  of 
May,  and,  by  a  compromife  between  the  two 
parties,  Ivan  and  Peter  were  declared  jojn^ 
fovereigns ;  but  as  Ivan  w^s  judged  incapa-r 
ble  of  governing,  and  Peter  was  iq  his  ipino- 
rity,  the  adminiftration  of  affairs  was  veft^ 
in  the  hands  of  Sophia,  Hence  cOnclufions 
have  been  dravyn  unfavourable  to  that  prin- 
cefs :  fbe  is  accvifed  of  haviqg  for  foxfic  time 
maintained  a  fecret  intelligence  with  th?  riagr^ 
leaders  of  the  Strelitz  ;  of  excitipg  the^i  -by 
falfe  reports  to  revolt ;  of  ordering  mQi>ey  and 
fpirituous  liquors  tq  be  diftributcd  apiQPg  th© 
foldiers  ;  and  even  of  delivering  to  thejn  a  lift  ^ 
of  forty  nobles  whom  ihe  had  profcrit^d^ 
All  her  a<Stions  are  malignantly  interpreted : 
when  Ivan  Narilkin  was  led  to  ex^utioiij 
ihe  publicly  accompanied  the  tzj^nna  and  th© 

*  "  Enfin,  Sophie,"  lays  Voltaire,  "  fait  remettre  entre 
•*  leurs  mains  une  lifte  de  quarante  feigneurs  qu'elle  ap- 
*'  pelle  leurs  enemis,  et  ceux  de  TEtat  ct  qu'ils  doivent 
*'  mafl&crer."  I  cannot  give  cre'dit  to  this  lift  of  farty 
nobles,  which  Voltaire  refembles  "  aux  profcriptiom  de 
*'  Sylla  et  des  triumvirs  de  Rome*"  Whoever  wiW  3|- 
tentively  perufe  the  account  of  the  enfuing  malTacre  in 
Gordon,  or  even  in  Voltaire,  will  find  that  the  fiiry  of  the 
Strelitz,  except  againft  thp  Narifldns^  was  more  directed 
by  chance  than  by  defign* 

I  patriarch 


^ 


176         a*RAVEL§    iNfO    feUSSlA.         if^jf*^ 

patriarch  to  intercede  for  his  life,  placed  the 
image  of  the  Virgin  Mary  in  his  hands  to  fto|* 
the  fury  of  the  Strelitz,  and  endeavoured, 
though  in  vain,  to  footh  his  aflaffins  *.  They 
who  judge  unfavourably  of  her  conduct,  fay, 
that  this  compaflion  vras  only  feigned ;  and 
that  fh6  fecretly  encouraged  his  afTaflination, 
though  fhe  outv^ardly  affedted  to  intercede 
for  him  -f.  Upon  this  fuppofition  the  wrhole 
conduift  of  Sophia  implies  fuch  a  deep-laid 
fcheme  of  hypocrify,  artifice,  and  revenge,  as 
fccms  rather  adapted  to  a  politician  grown 
grey  in  iniquity,  and  long  pradtifed  in  the  arts 
of  fedition,  than  to  a  princefs  like  Sophia, 
only  in  the  25th  year  of  her  age. 

Upon  reviewing  the  caufes  which  led  to 
this  revolution  ;  they  may  be  traced  from  fe- 
veral  events  in  the  reign  of  Alexey  Michaelo- 
vitch,  long  before  Sophia  had  the  leaft  influ- 
ence in  political  affairs,  and  particularly  from 
the  domeftic  feuds  in  the  imperial  family- 
it  appears  alfo  that  the  firft  infurredtion  of 
the  Strelitz  Was  cafual ;  that  it  was  occafion- 
ed  by  the  arrears  of  pay,  and  the  unpopularity 
of  the  colonels,  and  cannot,  with  the  leaft 

*  Gordon,  p.  81. 

t  Sumorokof. 

degree 


C.  8<       SOPHIA     AL£XI£FNA«        IJJ 

degree  of  probability,  be  imputed  to  the  in- 
trigues of  Sophia ;  and  that  therefore  fhe  can 
only  be  accufed,  even  by  the  moft  malignant 
interpretation  of  her  condudt,  of  availing  her- 
felf  of  that  mutiny  to  procure  the  election  of 
Ivan.  But  there  is  furely  a  wide  difference 
between  aflerting  the  injuilice  of  his  exclufioh 
from  the  throne  i  or,  under  the  malk  of  mo- 
deration and  candour,  inflaming  to  madneis 
the  fury  of  a  dilafFe<3:ed  foldiery,  and  calmly 
leading  them  from  affaflination  to  afTafHna- 
tion  *.  And  if  any  unjufliiiable  cabals  were 
really  employed  on  this  occafion ;  why  (hould 
the  whole  blame  be  laid  upon  Sophia  ?  and 
why  are  her  foults  alone  handed  down  to  us 
with  fb  many  heavy  aggravations  ? 
.  But  is  it  not  more  reafonable  to  fuppofe, 
that  Ivan  Milolafiki,  who,  as  we  have  be- 
fore obferved,  had  formed  a  ftrong  party 
againfl  the  Narifkins,  even  during  the  reign 
of  Alexey  Michaclovitch,  fhould,  in  con- 
jundlion  with  his  family,  take  advantage  of  this 
fedition  of  the  Strelitz,  with  whom  he  had 
long  entertained  a  fecret  intelligence  i  and 
that  Sophia  was  but  the  oftenfiblc  inftrument 

♦  Tandis  qud  les  Strclite  commen^aient  ainfi  \  fc  feirc 
^raindrie,  la  princefle  Sophie,  qui  les  antmaitfous  main^  four 
Us  conduire  de  crime  en  crtme^  &c.    Voltaire. 

Vol.  II,  N  of 


178  TRAVELS    INTO   ittTSSlA.        B.  ^. 

of  their  deligns  ?  In  a  word,  that  flie  was  raif- 
cd  to  rfie  regency  by  the  cabals  of  a  poWferful 
party,  who  forefaw  their  own  ruin  and  the 
advancement  of  their  rivals  in  the  nominati<Mi 
of  Peter ;  and  who,  in  the  midft  of  an  infur- 
reftion,  held  forth  to  this  licentious  body  the 
unalienable  rights  of  Ivan.  Examples  were 
not  wanting  to  prove  that  the  incapacity  of 
Ivan  was  no  bar  to  his  election :  a  menrora- 
ble  inftance  was  exhibited  in  the  perfon  of 
Feodor  Ivanovitch,  who,  notwithftanding  his 
abfolute  imbecillity,  was  raifcd  to  the  throiie^ 
and  a  regency  entrufted  with  the  adminiftra- 
tion  of  afiuirs  *.  And  it  muft  alfo  be  con- 
fidered,  that  Peter,  then  only  in  his  elevcnA 
year,  had  not  difplayed  any  inftances  of  that 
yaft  fuperiority  of  underftanding,  whidi  after- 
wards marked  his  charadcr:  and  that  hi« 
mother,  who  was  to  fway  the  reins  of  em- 
pire, was  a  perfon  of  no  experience,  and  ex- 
tremely unpopular.  Nor  is  it  matter  of  fur- 
prize  that  the  care  of  Ivan  and  the  admini- 
ftration  of  government  fhould  be  committed 
to  Sophia.  The  victorious  family  would  na-* 
turally  choofe  a  regent  devoted  from  intereft 
and  inclination  to  their  party  j  a  perfon  of 

♦  S,  R,  G.  vol.  V.  p.  19. 

imperial 


«.  8.      SOPHIA     ALEXIBFNA.        ly^ 

imperial  lineage,  popular  manners,  refpedable 
character,  and  great  abilities ;  and  all  thefe 
requifites  centered  in  Sophia. 

However  authors  may  have  eenfured  the 
ambitious  defigns  of  Sophia ;  they  unanimoufly 
concur  in  delineating  her  engaging  manners, 
the  beauties  of  her  perfon  *,  the  vigour  and 

wifdom 

♦  Weber,  the  Hanoverian  envoy  at  St.  Pcteriburg^ 
in  the  beginning  of  this  century,  lap  of  Sophia,  *^  Tl^c 
**  tzar  was  frequently  heard  to  declare,  that,  excepting 
**  her  -inordinate  ambition,  fhe  was  a  princefs  of  great 
^  perfonal  and  mental  accompliOiments/'  Ver.  RufH 
vpL  I.  p.  143, 

Voltaire,  in  a  very  fpirited  portrait,  cl^fes  it  by  faying, 
**  \xne  figure  agreabk  relevpit  tous  fes  t^lens/'  Perry  de- 
icribes  her,  at  the  time  of  the  revolution,  as  a  handfome 
young  lady,  then  ^upwards  of  23.  He  came  into  Ruflia 
in  1702,  two  years  before  her  d^th  5  and  though  be  tievor 
^w  her  himfelf,  on  account  of  her  imprifonment^  he  muft 
have  known  many  perfons  who  had  been  perfonally  ac- 
quainted ^ith  her.    Perry's  State  of  Ruilia,  p,  143. 

Sumorokof  fays  of  her,  that  flie  poflefled  a  good  under- 
ftanding  and  great  beauty.  "  Sie  be&ts  groflen  verftand 
**  und  groffe  fchoenheit,"  p.  10. 

Many  other  authors  might  be  quoted  to  the  fame  pur- 
pofe,  but  as  there  is  nothing  which  party-malice  will  not 
invent  to  depreciate  an  obnoxious  charadier  j  the  fuppoft- 
titious  Poliih  envoy  La  Neuvifle  has  mifreprefented  her 
perfon  as  much  as  her  conduct,  In  the  following  extraor- 
dinary paflage  :  **  Sophie  dont  Tefprit  &  le  meritc  ne  tj^en- 
f*  uent.rien  de  la  diffbrmite  de  fin  corps^  etant  d'une  grojfeur 

.   N  a  **  mon/ireueuf^ 


*.  ■ 


l8o         TRAVELS    INTO   RtJStIA,       B*  J. 

wifdom  of  her  admlniftratlon,  and  her  cxten- 
five  plans  of  reformation  for  the  advantage  of 
her  country^ 

Sophia  repofed  her  principal  confidence  in 
prince  Vaflili  Galitzin,  commonly  known  by 
the  name  of  the  Great  Galitzin,  a  moft  able 
minifter,  and  confummate  politician.  The 
fcandalous  chronicle  of  thofe  times,  or  rather  of 
a  later  period,  attributed  her  partiality  for 
this  minifter  to  a  fofter  paffion,  though 
he  was  above  fixty  years  of  age ;  and  her  ene^ 
mies  have  not  even  fcrupled  to  declare  *,  that 
.ihe  had  formed  the  plan  of  affaflinating  the 
two  tzars,  ufurping  the  throne,  and  of  efpouf- 
ing  prince  Galitzin,  who  was  to  obtain  a 
divorce  from  his  wife :  but  this  calumny,  as 
it  is  not  founded  on  the  leaft  fubftantial  evi- 
dence, deferves  not  to  be  refuted. 

Sophia  ^f*  has  been  alfb  accufcd,  not  only  of 
neglefting  the  education  of  Peter ;  but  of  in- 

^^  monftnueufey  avec  uni'^iete  large  comme  un  botjfeauj  du 
^  poll  au  vifagij  des  loups  aux  jambes  &  au  moins  40  ans  ; 
•*  mais  autant  que  fa  taille  ejl  largij  courte^  (^  groffiersy  au- 
'^  tanc  fon  efpric  eft  fin,  delie  &  politique  ,&  fans  avoir 
*^  jamais  lii  Machiavel,  elle  pofiede  naturellement  toutes 
**  fcs  maximes,"  &c.  p.  151. 

♦  Gordon,  p.  86. 
t  Voltaire. 

^  troducing 


C.8i     SOPHIA      A  L  iE  X  I  E  F  N  A.         iSt 

troducing  him  into  the  company  of  the  moft 
profligate  young  men,  and  of  encouraging 
his  propenfity  to  every  fpecies  of  excefs  which 
might  enervate  his  frame;  weaken  his  un- 
dcrfta-nding ;  and  render  him  averfe  to  bufi- 
nefs.  This  calumny,  however,  has  been  am- 
ply refuted  by  Mr.  MuUer  *,  who  has  fhewn 
from  unqueftionable  authority,  that  Ivan  and 
Peter  had  two  different  courts ;  that  the  edu- 
cation of  the  latter  was  folely  entrufted  to  his 
mother;  and  that  if  improper  perfons  werd 
placed  about  him,  the  blame  muft  fall  upon 
her,  and  not  upon  Sophia.  With  refpe<ft  to 
his  propenfity  to  drinkiilg,  that  vice  was  ex- 
tremely common  in  Rufiia,  and  prince  Vaf- 
fili  'f  Galitzin  was  as  remarkable  for  his  fb- 
briety  as  the  favourites  of  Peter,  Le  Fort,  and 
Boris  Galitzin,  were  notorious  for  their  in- 
temperance. "  Le  Fort,"  fays  a  writer,  who 
was  in  Livonia  when  the  tzar  and  his  fuitQ 
pafled  through  that  country  in  his  firft  jour- 

*  Journal  of  St.  Pet.  Mar.  1778,  p.  168,  169. 

t  ^^  Galitzin  was  die  only  man  of  quality  in  Ruflia 
^'  who  could  entertain,  without  forcing  his  company  to 
**  drink  to  excefs.  Brandy,  the  liquor  which  flowed  at 
^  every  other  table,  was  feldom  feen  ^t  his,  who  never 
*^  drank  any  himfelf,  but  took  much  delight  in  rational 
•«  and  ingenious  conyerfiition.'*    Afottley's  Life  of  Peter. 

J  N  3  ney 


€€ 
€€ 


j^^a         TRAVEl.^   INTO   KUSSIA.^     ]^.  J* 

ney  to  Holland,  **  is  a  man  of  a  good  uiadcr- 
**  ftanding ; . veiy  perfonablc,  engaging,  and  en- 
**  tertaining;  a  true  Swifs  for  probity  and  bravc- 
^*  ly,  but  cJbit^  for  drinking^  Open  tables 
are  kept  every  where  with  trmnpets  and 
mufick,  attended  with  feafting  and  excef- 
five  drinking,  as  if  his  tzarifh  naajefty  IkuI 
**  been  another  Bacchus.  I  have  not  yet 
**  ieen  fuch  hard  drinkers ;  it  i$  iK>t  pof- 
^'  fible  to  exprefs  it,  and  they  boail:  of  it  as 
**  a  mighty  qualification  */' 

Thus  then  it  appeals  that  Peter  had  ex- 
amples of  intemperance  in  his  own  houfhold ; 
and  it  will  hardly  be  fuppofed  that  Le  Fort 
was  the  creatwre  of  Sophia.  The  evident 
falfehood  of  fuch  virulait  accufations  fhould 
induce  us  not  to  give  credit  to  other  caltim<- 
nies  ;  and  particularly  to  the  charge  that  ihe 
attempted  to  dcftroy  Peter  by  poifon,  which, 
though  it  failed  of  its  intended  effedl,  diibr- 
dered  his  conftitution,  and  occafionally  pro- 
duced a  fpecies  of  melancholy  aild  defpair  that 
bordered  upon  madnefs.  This  report  took 
its  rife  from  his  proncnefs  to  epileptic  fits;  a 
diforder  common  in  his  fjimily,  to  which  he 
was  fubjed  from  his  infency,  wliich  gradually 

f  Accowijt  of  Livonia,  p.  Z93. 

tjiminiflied 


JC.dr.      SOPHIA      ALEXIEPNA.        l8j 

diminiihcd  as  he  grew  ftronger,  but  never 
entirely  forfook  him.  Previous  to  an  attack^ 
tl^  natural  vehemence  and  iavageneis  of  hi$ 
temper  broke  out  with  redoubled  violence,  and 
Fcndered  him  the  terror  of  all  who  approached 
him*  The  inveterate  rancour  with  which 
the  enemies  of  Sophia  have  calumniated  her 
memory,  is  in  no  inftance  more  evident  than 
from  dieir  abfurdly  imputing  the  brutal 
ferocity  and  fanguinary  difpofition  of  Peter 
to  the  ^ifedls  of  poifop  which  flie  admini- 
ftered  *. 

But 

*  "  II  prenoit  quelquefois  des  acces  d'humeur  chagrinci 
**  ou  il  femblait  frappe  de  Tidee  noire  qu'on  voulait  attenter 
**  a  fa  perfonne,  et  ou  fes  anais  les  plus  fatniliers  craignai- 
"  entfes  emportemens.    Ces  acces  etaient  un  rbstz 

♦'  FATAL    PU     POISOK,    QU'lI*    RECUT     DE    SON    AMBI* 

«f  TiEUsis  soEUR  SofHiE.  On  en  connaiflait  Papproche 
**  a  certains  muvemens  convuJ/ifs  defci  hucie*  L'Iriipera- 
"  trice  etait  avertie.  Elle  venait  lui  parler ;  le  fon  de  cbtte 
*^  voix  le  calmait  a  Pinftant.  Elle  le  feifait  afleoir,  et  s'em^ 
**  parait  en  le  cajolant  de  fa  tete,  qu'elle  grattait  doucev. 
"  ment.  C'etait  comme  un  charme,  qui  Pajfoupiffait  en 
*'  peu  de  minutes.  Pour  ne  pas  troubler  (on  Jommeilj  elle 
*^  foutenait  fa  tete  fur  fon  fein,  fans  fe  remlier  pendant  deux 
"  ou  trois  heur^.  Alofs  il  fc  reveillait,  entierement  raffis 
^^  et  remi$  au  lieu  qu'avant  qu'elle  eut  etudie  cette  mani* 
^^  ere  ii  i|inple  de  le  foulagef,  ces  acces  etaiei\t  la  terreur 
^\  de  ceux  qui  Tapprochaient^  aiant  caufe  dit  on  quelques 
^^  audheurs,  et  etant  fuivi  de  maux  de  tite  affreuxy  qui  du^ 

N  4  ^^  raient 


184         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.J,, 

But  it  is  time  to  trace  the  principal  caufes, 
which  contributed  to  the  fall  and  imprifon* 
ment  of  Sophia.  That  princefs,  to  whom 
Ivan  had  furrendered  the  abfolute  diredion  of 
affairs,  affumed  fome  exterior  marks  of  ho- 
mage, which  feem  to  have  been  hitherto  ap- 
propriated only  to  the  fovereigns  of  Ruffia. 
While  the  heads  of  her  two  brothers  were 
impreffed  gn  one  fide  of  the  coins,  her  image, 
arrayed  with  the  crown,  fceptrc,  and  imperial 
robes,  was  ftamped  upon  the  reverfe ;  in  the 
public  afts  her  name  was  added  to  the  figna- 
ture  of  thfe  two  tzars  * ;  and  fhe  appeared  in 
proceffions  decorated  with  all  the  enfigns  of 
royalty  *f  :  circumftances  which  naturally  gave 

"  raUnt  des  journies  entUres/*    Baflevitz  in  Buf.  H.  M. 
IX.  p.  294. 

Strange  effefts  of  poifon  given  i;i  his  infancy..  Thofe 
who  have  been  ufed  to  fee  perfons  in  epileptic  fits,  will 
cafily  difcover  all  the  elFefts  of  that  diforder  from  the  word« 
in  Italics.  Biihop  Burnet  fays,  "  that  he  was  fubje£l  to 
**  convulfive  motions  all  over  his  body,  and  that  his  head 
**  feemed  to  be  aflFedled  with  thcfe." 

♦  She  did  not  fign  her  name  in  the  public  decrees 
until  1687.     Buf.  Hift.  Mag*  v.  I.  p.  9. 

t  Thefe  circumftances  cannot  imply  a  defign  of  ufurping 
the  fovereign  authority ;  for  flic  was  only  accufed,  even  by 
her  enemies,  of  fccretly  confpiring  againft  Peter,  and  not 
cf  an  open  attempt  to  feize  the  crown* 

umbrage' 


C.8.      SOPttIA     ALEXIEFNA.         185* 

lunbrage  to  the  ri^  family ;  and  afforded  a 
Ipecious  pretence  for  inveighing  againil  her 
ambitious  defigns, 

Peter,  as  he  advanced  in  years  and  felt 
himfelf  born  for  empire,  could  not,  without 
great  diflatisfadion,  behold  all  the  jpower 
lodged  in  the  hands  of  a  rival  party :  encou- 
raged by  his  mother  and  her  adherents,  he 
claimed  a  (hare  in  the  adminiftration  of  af-* 
jfairs  ;  and  took  his  feat,  for  the  firft  time,  in 
the  privy  council,  on  the  25th  of  Jantt-* 
ary,  1688,  and  in  the  eighteenth  year  of  his 
age.  Sophia,  though  unwilling  to  refign  any 
part  of  her  authority,  could  not  withhold 
her  confent ;  but  as  Peter's  fpirit  was  above 
controul,  fhe  availed  herfelf  of  fome  violent 
altercations  which  paffed  between  them,  to 
exclude  him,  for  the  future,  from  a  feat  in 
the  council.  From  this  period  the  diflentions 
between  them  arofe  to  fo  great  an  height,  as 
to  threaten  an  open  rupture ;  and  the  fall  of 
the  one  feemed  neceffary  for  the  fecurity  of 
the  other  *. 

Things  remained  in  this  ftate  of  jealouly 
and  variance, .  until  the  month  of  Septem^ 
ber,  1689 ;  when  the  afpiring  genius  of  Peter 

♦  Jpurn.  of  St.  Pet.  for  1778,  p.  175,  176. 

8  acquired 


jf86     "travels  into  Russia,     b.^. 

acquired  the  afccndantcy,  and  fecured  his  un^ 
divided  authority  by  the  fall  and  impri&)nment 
of  Sophia.  By  the  advice  of  Boris  Galitzia 
and  the  Narifkins,  Peter  refblved  to  arreft  his 
fitter,  and  to  feize  the  reins  of  government : 
and  it  is  aflcrted  by  his  adherents^,  that 
Sophia  and  prince  Vaffili  Galitzi^,  apprized 
of  his  intentions,  deteimined  to  prevent  their 
own  ruin  by  his  aflaifination ;  that  they  had 
gained  over  the  chief  of  the  Strclitz  and  a 
corps  of  600  m^i,  and  had  a<3:ually  com-^ 
miffioned  them  to  perpetrate  that  in£imous 
deed.  Peter  had  retired  to  flecp  at  his  palace 
of  Preohafhoifki  near  Mofcow ;  when  two  -f* 
of  the  confpirators,  it  is  faid,  Aruck  with  hor^ 
ror  at  their  crime,  quitted  their  companions, 
and  haftened  to  the  young  tzar  with  the  infor- 
mation that  a  body  of  Strelitz  were  upon  their 
march  to  afiafiinate  him.  The  fame  accounts 
add,  that  Peter  refufed  to  give  credit  to  their 
report,  until  it  was  confirmed  by  Boris  Galit- 
zin  and  one  of  his  uncles,  whom  he  inm^di^ 
ately  difpatched  to  reconnoitre ;  and  that  tl^ 

•  Gordon. 

t  It  18  remarkable,  that  diis  fame  ftory  of  two  confpi* 
rafbrs  who  were  engaged  to  aflaffinate  Peter,  but,  repent* 
ing,  difcovered  the  pl^t,  is  again  related  as  happening 
in  1697.    Schmidt.  Ruff.  Gef.  v*  II.  p.  oo. 

confpirators 


C.  8:      SOPHIA     ALEXIEFJIA.        187 

confpiratojns  were  already  fo  near,  that  he 
had  Icarcely  time  to  make  his  efcape  *.'  He 
inftantly  proceeded  to  the  convent  of  the 
Holy  Trinity ;  where  his  danger  being  fyrcsA 
abroad,  troops  flocked  to  him  from  all  quar- 
ters, and  in  fuch  nimibers,  that  in  the  fpace  c£ 
three  days  he  had  an  army  of  60^000  men 
under  his  command,  and  found  himfelf  in  1 
(ituation  to  give  law  to  the  oppofite  party. 

In  the  mean  time  Soj^ia,  in  a  ftate  of  the 
utmoft  confternatiori,  denied  all  intcrcourie 
with  the  cpnfpirators ;  expreflcd  the  utmoft 
horror  at  their  attempt;  difpatched  repeated  ' 
n^flSiges  to  her  brother  to  juftify  her  conduft ; 
and  even  fet  off  in  perfon  to  aflert  her  inno- 
cence ;  but  was  ordered  to  return  without  de- 
lay to  Mofcow,  and  to  deliver  the  ringleaders 

*  Voltaire,  though  convinced  o£  Sophia's  intention  10 
aflaffinate  Peter,  and  notwithftanding  the  intellijgnrK^e  h^ 
received  from  the  court  of  Peterfburgh,  can  only  give  u$ 
the  following  fcanty  information :  **  La  Neuville  r^/uknt 
**  alors  a  Afofcnv^  et  temoin  /tctdaire  di  ce  qui  fe  paffhy  p'etefii 
^^^tf^  Sophie  et  GaNtzin  engagerent  le  nouveauohefdet 
*^  Strelitz a leur  (acriiier  leur jeune  czar:  il  par^it  au  moin$ 
**  que  fix-cent  de  ces  Strelitz  devaient  s'emparer  de  fa 
**  perfonne.  Les  memoires  fecrettes  que  la  cour  de  RuiTie 
•*  m'a  confies,  afliirent  que  le  parti  etoit  pris  de  tuer  Pierre 
"Premier:  le  coup  allait  ctre  porte,  et  la  RufTie  etait 
*'  prive  a  jamais  de  la  nouvcUc  cxiftcnce,  qu'elle,"  &c. 


l88  TRAVELS    INTO   RUSSIA*       B.  J^ 

of  the  mutiny.  Soon  afterwards  Peter  him^ 
felf  repaired  to  the  capital :  the  principal 
confpirators,  being  tortftred  in  his  prefence, 
confeflcd  a  defign  againft  his  life,  and  fuffered 
the  fevereft  punifhment.  Vaflili  Galitzin* 
ivas  banifhed  into  Siberia;  and  Sophia  was 
imprifoned  for  life  in  the  Devitchei  nunnery ; 
Peter  alone  affumed  the  reins  of  government, 
and-  found  fufficient  fcope  for  his  vaft  and 
enterprizing  genius ;  while  the  name  of  Ivan 
was  ftill  inferted,  as  a  matter  of  formality^ 
iii  the  public  a<Sts  until  his  death.  Which  hap-^ 
penedin  1696. 

Such  are  the  principal  circumftinces  of  this 
extraordinary  revolution :  but  we.  muft  con- 
^der,  that  this  is  the  account  given  by  the 
viftorious  party ;  and  that  the  caufe  of  Sophia 
never  underwent  a  candid  examination.  It 
may  be  impoffible  to  exculpate  that  princefs 
entirely  from  ambitious  views  :  (he  might  be 
extremely  unwilling  to  relinquifli  a  power 
which  ihe  had  long  enjoyed,  and  which  flie 
exercifed  with  great  ability ;  fhe  might  efteem 
the  right  of  Ivan  to  the  throne  as  fuperior  to 

*  This  able  minifter  furvived  his  fall  24  years ;  he  iVas 
releafed  from  prifon  in  1711  ^  and  died  at  his  own  eftats 
in  1713^ 

that 


C.  8*       ^OFHIA     ALEXIEFNA,        189 

that  of  Peter ;  and  might  confidcr  Peter's  ac^ 
<juifition  of  the  fole  fovereignty  as  the  certain 
prelude  to  her  own  deftrudion :  but  we  have 
no  pofitive  evidence  *  which  fhould  induce  us 
to  believe  that  fhe  conlpired  againft  her  bro-i 
ther's  life ;  and  perhaps  the  whole  ilory  of  the 
intended  aflaffination  was  feigned  by  fioris 
Galitzin  "f  and  her  enemies  •  Had  (he  been 
really  guilty  of  that  attempt,  flie  wanted  not 
opportunities  of  efcaping  from  Ruflia;  and 
ihe  never  would  have  imprudently  demanded 
admittance  into  Peter's  prefence,  in  order  to 
aflert  her  innocence,  if  the  proofs  of  her  guilt 
had  been  as  ftrong  as  her  adverfaries  pretcnd- 
icd  ^.     In  a  word,  the  confliA  between  Peter 

and 

♦  We  have  no  certain  proofe  that  any  of  the  confpirators 
acculed  Sophia  of  being  privy  to  any  defign  upon  Peter's 
life;  and,  even  if  they  did  name  her  as  an  accomplice, 
their  evidence,  as  it  was  extorted  by  the  rack,  is  by  no 
ineans  to  be  depended  upon. 

f  It  appears  from  the  following  pailage  that  the  dilco- 
very  of  Sophia's  defigns  came  from  that  quarter.  ♦^  Prince 
^  Boris  Galitzifli  a  faithful  fubjed  of  the  tzar  Peter,  com« 
^  ing  timely  to  penetrate  into  his  kinfman's  prince  Bafil^ 
^defigns,  put  the  tzar  upon  his  guard,  advifing  him,  with-* 
v^^out  delay,  to  take  the  government  into  his  hands.** 
Gordon,  v.  I.  p.  89. 

t  *•  Avait  elle,"  as  L'Evefque  judicioufly  remarks, 
^'  comme  on  Ten  accufe,  forme  le  deflein  d'oter  la  vi^  k 

'^  Pierre? 


J^O        TRAVELS^  INTO    RUSSIA.      «^  .^ 

and  Sophia  was  the  conflidl  of  two  rivals  im*- 
jpaticnt  of  controul,  and  ftriving  for  pre- 
eminence :  the  caufc  of  the  fmxejfeful  party 
would  ncccffarily  be  deemed  juft  and  equita- 
fck ;  and  the  vanquiflied  faiftion  was  fure  to 
lie  loaded  with  every  fpecies  of  guilt  and 
enormity. 

The  reftlefs  fpirit  of  Sophia,  brooding  in 
*hc  jfolitude  of  a  conveait,  is  faid  to  have 
excited  frefh  troubles  and  infurreftions  ;  smd^ 
during  her  life,  no  confpiracy  was  undertaken 
againft  Peter,  in  which  fhe  was  hot  iiifpeded 
c£  being  concerned.  She  was  more  paisdcu^ 
larly  accufed  of  being  privy  to  the  rdbellitm 
which  broke  out  in  1697 ;  when  8000  Slre^ 

^  Pierre  ?  voulaitelle  feulement  Tenlever,  ct  Ic  feire  dc-^ 
*•  pofer  ?  Fut-cUe  in6me  complice  de  rcntreprife  d^  Stche- 
**  glovitoi  ?  c*eft  ce  que  nous  n*oferions  prcmoncen  H 
**feudrait  avoir  des  pieces  authentiques  poor  juger  ce 
^  grand  proces.  Lcs  hiftoriens  I'accufentj  aucun  ne  dit, 
•*  qu^elle  ait  ete  nommce  par  les  coupables,  Pierre  devak 
^  la  craindre,  il  (avait  qu^cUe  etolt  aim^e  des  Strelits  at  de 
^'  leur  chefs  :  EUe  tenait  lcs  renes  du  gouvemment ;  eUe 
•^  nc  voulait  pas  les  lacher,  et  il  voidait  s'en  Ikifir  :  tHe 
^  etoit  deteftee  de  Natalie,  &  de  tous  les  parents  de  cetti; 
**  Princefle :  On  Taccufeit  d'intrigucs ;  die  en  formait  lans 
'*^  doute,  et  fans  cefle  il  s'en  formait  contre  die:  elle  en 
•*  fut  la  viftime,  et  la  Calomnie  devait  la  pourfuivr^  long*- 
^*  -terns  encore  apres  &  difgrace^  &  meme  audela  du  torn* 
•^beau."    VoUIV-p.  103. 


ۥ8.       SOPHIA     ALBXIEFNA.  I^t 

lite  feized  the  opportunity  of  Peter's  abfence 
upon  his  travels  to  rife  in  arms,  upon  the 
frontiers  of  Lithuania,  and  to  march  toward* 
Mofcow^  The  rebels  were  attacked  and  dc-^ 
^ted  by  the  iaddrefs  and  courage  of  general 
Patrick  Gordon ;  many  were  put  to  the  fword, 
and  the  remainder  furrendered  at  difcretkmw 
The  tzar  received  at  Vienna  the  account  of 
the  mutiny  and  defeat  of  the  Strelitzj  and 
inftantly  haftened  to  Ruflia,  that  he  might 
examine  the  delinquents  in  perfon. 

Peter,  upon  his  arrival  at  Mofcow,  waf 
|>articularly  anxious  to  difcover  the  cauies  o£ 
the  rebellion ;  to  learn  by  vsrhofe  intrigues  it 
w^  eccited ;  and,  above  all,  to  conyi^  So*^ 
phia,  whom  he  charged ,  with  fomenting  the 
public  difconterits,  and  with  holding  a  cor^ 
refpondence  with  the  rebels  •  But  as  no  per-* 
fons  could  give  immediate  and  pertinent  an-* 
fwers  to  all  his  queftions ;  he  entertained  fuf- 
picions  of  all  his  courtiers,  and  determined  to 
inftitute  a  court  of  inquiry  at  his  palace  cf 
Preobrafheniki,  where  the  inftruments  of  the 
queftion  were  brought.  The  tzar  himfelf 
^camined  thfe  accufed ;  urged  them  to  confef- 
fion ;  and  ordered  thofe  who  maintiained 
lilence  to  be  racked  in  his  prefence.  The 
cruelty  of  the  torturejs  employed  on  this  oc- 

5  '  cafioa 


igZ        TRAVELS    INTO   RITSSIA*         B,^. 

cafion  was    inexpreffibly  dreadful :    human 
nature  fhudders  at  the  recital,  but  it  is  necef* 
fcry  to  mention  them  in  juftification  of  So- 
phia.    Some  of  the  rebels   were  repeatedly 
whipped ;  others  had  their  (houlders  diflocat- 
^^cd  by  a  cord  and  pulley,  and  in  that  painful 
pofture  received  the  ftrokes  of  the  knoot; 
many  after  undergoing  the  knoot  were  roafted 
over  a  flow  fire,  the  raw  parts  being  expofed 
to  the  flame*.     Phyficians  were  prefent  to 
afcertain  the  degree  of  pain  the  unhappy  con- 
vidls  were  capable  of  fupporting,  and  to  re- 
cover thofe  who  had  fainted  away ;  that  the 
application  of  frcfli    tortures  might  recom- 
mence upon  the  renewal  of  their  fl:rength. 
This  dreadful  inquifition  was  continued,  with- 
out the  leafl  intermiflion^  through  the  whole 
month  of  Oftober.     Not  only  every  fpecies 
of  punifliment,  the  mofl:  refined  which  human 
cruelty  could  devife,  was  inflided  in  order  to 
extort  an  accjLifation  of  Sophia  ;  but  promifes 
of  pardon,  and  even  of  great  promotion,  were 
offered  for  the  fame  purpofc  to  the  wretched 

*  It  appears  from  Olearius,  and  other  travellers  into 
RuiEa,  that  thefe  tortures  were  ordinarily  ufed  in  that 
country  for  the  purpofe  of  forcing  confeifion. 

fuffercni 


C.  8*      SOPHIA     ALEXIEFNA.        I93 

fufFerers  in  the  midft  of  the  moll  excruciating 
agonies  *. 

At 

♦  This  account  is  cxtradled  from  th^  Diary  of  Korb, 
fecretary  of  the  Auftrian  embafljr  to  Ruflla  in  the  year 

1657,  and  who  was  prefeht  at  Mofcow  during  thefe  hor- 
rid proceedings.  He  received  information  of  thefe  dread- 
fal  tortures  from  feveral  German  officers  in  the  fervice  o^ 
Peter,  who  were  eye-witnefles  of  their  infli£Uon  upon 
the  Strelitz.  Korb's  authority  is  alfo  the  more  to  be  de- 
pended upon  in  this  inftance,  becaufe  he  fpeaks  highly  in 
fevour  of  Peter,  and  condemns  the  ambition  of  Sophia. 
Gordon  alfo,  though  fo  partial  to  Peter,  informs  us,  that 
the  rebels  were  tortured  and  examined  in  his  prefence* 
Vol  I.  p.  129. 

.  **  Prima,*'  fays  Korb,  in  the  164th  page  of  his  Diary, 
^*  poft  adventum  foUicitudo  de  rebellione  fuit ;  quomodo 
"  compofita  ?  quid  animi  tumultuantibus  fuiflet  ?  quibus 
"  authoribus  tantum  nefas  aufi  ?  Cum  autem  nemo  eflet 
**  qui  ad  omnia  pun6b  accurate  refpondere  poflet,  his 
**  fuam  ignorantiam,  illis  Streliziorum  pertinaciam  ob- 
**  tendentibus,  omnium  fidem  fufpe£bm  habere,  &  novae 
"  inquifitiohi  cogitationes  fuas  admovere,  coepiti  Qui  in 
"  vicinis  variis  locis  cuftoditi  aflervabantur  rebelles,  ii 
**  omnes  per  quatuor  militum  pretorianorum  regimina  ad 
**  quaeftionem  novam  &  torturam  retrahebantur.  Be- 
**  brafchentfko  reduftis  career,  tribunal  fuit,  &  equuleus. 
**  Nulla  dies  quaefitoribus  vacua,  fafta  aut'nefafta,  omnes  ad 
**  torquendum  idonei  licitique  vifi.  Quot  rei,  tot  knuttae ; 
"  quot  quaefitores,  tot  carnifices.  Princeps  Fcudor  Ju- 
**  rowiz  Romadonowfki,  quantum  caeteris  fcverior,  tantum 
"  prseftabat  inquirendi  aptitudine.  Ipfemet  Magnus  Dux, 
**  ob  conceptam  in  fuos  diffidentiam,  inquifitoris  officio 

Vol;  II.  O  **  f»^^^ 


t94         TRAVELS,  INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  ^^ 

At  length  a  few  *  of  the  Strelitz,  over- 
come by  the  feverlty  of  the  torments,  or  fe- 
duced  by  hopes  of  pardon  and  the  promife  of 
promotiorr,  confefled  that  it  was  their  inten- 
tion to  fet  fire  to  the  fuburbs  of  Mofcow, 
to  malTacre  all  foreigners,  to  banifh  or  aflaf- 

^^  fundus  eft.  Ipfe  interrogatoria  ponebat,  examinabat 
*'  reos,  non  confitentes  urgebat,  pertinacioris  etiam  filentii 
*'  Strelizios  crudeli  jubebat  fubjici  torturae,  jam  multa 
**  fefli,  de  pluribus  quaerebantur,  quos  tormentorum  ex- 
"  cefliis  viribus,  mente,  et  ipfis  vix  non  fenfibus  deftituit, 
'*  medicorum  induftria  priftinis  fuis  viribus,  per  novo* 
*'  cruciatus  denuo  enervandis,  cogebatur  reftituere.  Totua 
**  menfis  October  reorum  tergoribus  per  knuttas  &  ignes 
**  excarnificandis  infumebatur :  nulla  die  a  flagris  aut  flaei- 
'*  mis  fuefe  immunes,  quam  qua  vel  rota  fraftos,  ad  fur- 
*'  cam  aftos,  vel  fecuri  intcremptos,  vita  ipfa  reliquerat." 

And  again,  "  Inaudita  fuit  adhibitae  torturae  immanitas : 
"  flagris  faeviffime  caefi,  fi  pcrtinaciam  filentii  nondum  rum- 
**  perent,  faucia  reorum  tergora,  fanie  &  tabo  fluentia,  igni 
*'  admovebantur,  ut  per  l«ntam  cutis  &  carnis  morbofae 
*'  aduftionem,  acuti  dolores  ad  ima  olTium,  &  extrema 
*^  fenfuUm,  cum  atrociflimis  cruciatibus  defcenderent.  Haec 
*'  tormentorum  viciiEtudo  una  &  altera  vice  repetebatur* 
"  Horrenda  vifu  &  auditu  tragcedia*  Ultra  triginta  ia 
*^  aperti  campi  planitie  funeftiflimi  coUucebant  ignes,  ubi 
*'  miferrimi  inquifiti  cum  ejulatu  terribili  torrebantur ; 
'*  parte  ex  alia  refonabant  crudeliflimi  flagrorum  iftus,  ut 
**  ex  jucundiflima  terrae  vicinia  faeviffima  hominum  carnir 
*^  ficina  fa£b  fit."  Diarium  Itineris  in  Mofcoviam,  &.q, 
p.  162* 

*  *<  Quorundam  pertinacia  demum  vifla.'*/  Korb*^ 

T  finatc 


tJfcS*       SOPrilA     AtEXIEFNA*         19^ 

iinate  the  principal  nobility,  to  raife  the  tzar- 
ovitch  Alexey  to  the  throne,  and  to  appoint 
Sophia  regent  during  his  minority;  others 
declared  that  the  ringleaders  had  aftually 
drawn  up  a  petition,  which  they  intended  to 
prefent  to  that  princefs,  praying  her  to  accept 
the  adminiftration  of  affairs. 

Although  none  of  the  rebels  charged  Sophia 
with  being  acceffory  to  their  infurredion,  yet 
Peter  was  fo  prejudiced  againft  her,  that  he 
put  to  the  torture  one  of  her  female  attend-" 
ants ;  and  when  no  evidence  of  her  guilt 
could  be  procured  by  that  horrid  expedient, 
he  even  repaired  to  the  nunnery  and  examined 
her  in  perfon.  The  princefs,  whofe  high 
fpirit  was  fubdued  by  her  misfortunes,  and 
worn  out  by  a  long  confinement,  could  not 
refrain  from  weeping  at  the  fight  of  her  ob- 
durate bR>ther ;  and  flie  even  extorted  tears 
from  Peter  himfelf,  though  without  melting 
his  refentment*.  But  neither  this,  nor  every 
other  effort  that  was  employed  to  convift  her, 
was  attended  with  fuccefs ;  and  the  only  proof 

*  "  Ad  monafterium  Neo  virginum  difceflit  tzarus,  ut 
•*  forerem  fuamSophiam,  di£lo  monafterio  inclufam,  exa-* 
**  minaret ;  publice  enitn  nuperi  tumultus  vulgo  rea  ha- 
**  bebatur :  primus  utriufque  introitus  uberrimas  am^orum 
**  lacrymas  exciviffe  dicitur."    Kerb* 

O    2  of 


196         TRAVELS    INTO    RtTSSIA*        B.J. 

of  her  carrying  on  a  fecret  correfpondencc 
with  the  rebels  was  derived  from  the  con- 
feffion  of  a  boy  belonging  to  an  officer  of  the 
Strelitz,  who  declared,  that  letters  inclofed 
in  loaves  of  bread  had  pafled  between  Sophia 
and  his  mafter  *.  The  latter,  however,  per- 
emptorily denied  the  fad:  even  upon  the  rack ; 
and  he  was  led  to  execution  perfifting  to  the 
laft  moment  in  this  afleveration.  The  cafe 
feems  to  be,  that  the  innovations  of  Peter 
created  a  confiderable  number  of  malcon- 
tents ;  that  the  introduction  of  the  European 
difcipline,  and  the  partiality  which  he  fhowed 
to  the  foreign  regiments,  inflamed  the  difaf- 
feftion  of  the  Strelitz  to  fuch  a  degree  as  to 
account  for  their  rebellion^  without  the  fup- 
pofition  of  any  cabals  on  the  part  of  Sophia ; 
that  this  princefs  had  long  been  the  objedt  of 
aflfedtion  to  all  the  enemies  of  Peter;  and  was 
naturally  the  perfon  to  whom  they  would  have 
configned  the  adminiftration  of  aflfairs,  if  the 
revolt  had  been  attended  with  fuccefs. 

Peter  was  fo  greatly  exafperated  againft 
Sophia,  that  he  had  once  determined  to  put 
her  to  death ;  but,  having  changed  his  refo-^ 
Jution,  he  compelled  her  to  affumc  the  veil* 

♦  Gordon,  Vol.  I.  p.  129,  130. 

In 


ۥ8.       SOPHIA      ALEXIEFNA.         I97 

In  order  to  ftrike  her  with  terror,  and  to 
announce  to  the  public  that  he  thought  her 
privy  to  the  rebelHonj  two  hundred  and 
thirty  Strelitz  were  hanged  within  fight  of 
the  nunnery  in  which  fhe  was  confined ;  and 
three  of  the  ringleaders  were  fufpended  upon 
a  gibbet  ere(3:ed  clofe  *  to  the  window  of 
her  apartment :  they  held  in  their  hands  pe- 
titions fimilar  to  that  which,  according  to  the 
confeflion  juft  mentioned,  was  to  have  been 
prefehted  to  Sophia. 

From  this  period  hiftory  is  filent  in  re- 
lation to  Sophia :  fhe  was  confined  under  a 
ftridt  guard  in  the  monaftery  until  her  death, 
which  happened  in  the  month  of  July,  1704^ 
She  was  interred  in  the  church  of  the  Con- 
vent ;  the  tomb  is  covered  with  a  black 
cloth,  and  contains  the  following  infcription : 
A.  M.  7212  (or  1 704  of  the  Chriftian  sera) 
on  the  third  of  July  -f ,  died  Sophia  Alexi- 


€4 
if 


*  Gordon,  p.  95-— 130. 

Korb,  who  faw  them  hanging,  fays,  "  Tarn  prope  ad 
''  ipfas  Sophiani  cubiculi  feneftras,  ut  Sophia  eofdem  manu 
*'  facile  pollet  attingere." 

On  this  occafion  above  2000  Strelitz  fufFered  capital 
punifhment,  Peter  broke  at  the  fame  time  the  whole  . 
body  of  Strelitz,  and  abolifhed  their  name. 

t  O.  S.  the  X4th,  N.  S. 

O  t  "efna. 


198  TRAVELS    I-NTO    RUSSIA,        B.  3, 

**  efna,  aged  46  years,  nine  months,  and  fij? 
**  days  :  her  monaftick  name  was  Sufanna^ 
*^  She  had  been  a  nun  five  years,  eight  months, 
*^  and  twelve  days  :  ihc  was  buried  the  4th 
*^  in  this  church,  called  the  Image  of  Smo- 
**  lenfko.  She  was  daughter  of  Alexey  Mi^ 
^*  ehaelovitch,  and  pf  Maria  Ilinitchna/'  &c. 

Although  Peter  always  fufpcd:ed  the  in-. 
trigues  of  his  filler,  yet  he  never  failed  paying 
a  juft  tribute  to  her  genius  and  abilities, 
**  What  a  pity,"  he  was  frequently  h^rd  to 
fay,  ^*  that  fhe  perfecuted  me  in  my  minority, 
**  and  that  I  cannot  repofe  any  conjfidence 
^^  in  her  !  otherwife,  when  I  am  employe4 
**  abroad,  fhe  might  govern  at  home  */' 

One  ftriking  feature  in  Sophia's  charadler, 
which  I  had  no  opportunity  of  mentioning 
while  my  enquiry  was  chiefly  confined  to  her 
political  conduft,  mull  not  be  omitted  in  this 
place,     $he  deferves  the  veneratipji  of  pofte-r 

*  This  anecdote,  which  I  received  from  a  Ruffian 
nobleman  of  great  diftinftion,  is  confirmed  by  the  follow- 
ing paffage  in  Perry's  State  of  Ruffia.  "  I  remember 
^*  that  upon  a  certain  occafion,  when  mention  was  made 
^^  of  her  [i.  e,  Sophia  J,  the  czar  himfelf  gave  her  this 
*'  charafter,  that  fhe  was  a  princefs  endowed  with  all  the 
^*  accompjifhments  of  body  and  mind  to  perfefliion,  had 
^  it  not  been  for  her  boundlefs  ambition,  and  infatiable  de-j 
«  fijre  pf  governing,''    Vol?  !•  p«  138, 


C.  8.       SOPHIA     ALBXIEFNA,        I99 

rity  for  the  patronage  which  fhe  afforded  to 
perfons  of  genius  and  learning ;  and  for  encou- 
raging, by  her  own  example,  the  introduction 
of  polite  literature  into  Ruflia,  then  plunged 
in  the  deepeft  ignorance.  At  a  peribd  when 
there  was  no  national  theatre,  and  when  the 
loweft  buifooneries,  under  the  name  of  mora^ 
lities^  were  the  fole  dramatic  reprefentations 
even  at  court  5  this  elegant  princefs  tranflated 
the  Medecin  malgri  lui  of  Moliere  into  her 
native  tongue,  ahd  performed  one  of  the  cha- 
rafters  herfelf.  She  alfo  compofed  a  tragedy^ 
probably  the  firft  extant  in  the  Ruffian  lan- 
guage ;  and  fhe  compofed  it  at  a  time  when 
the  moft  violent  cabals  were  excited  againft 
her  miniftry,  and  when  the  moft  weighty  affairs 
feemed  to  engrofs  her  fole  attention. 


O4         TRAVELS 


TRAVELS 

INTO 

RUSSIA. 


BOOK      IV. 

C  H  A  P.     I. 

Departure  from  Mofcow. — Arrival  at  Tver. 
— Hijiory  and  defcription  of  that  town. — 
ProduSlions  of  the  neighbouring  country. — 
^adrupeds. — Birds.- — Fijh. — Defcription  of 
the  Sterlet. — Continuation  of  the  journey. -^^ 
Torfhok.—Vifhnei-Volofhok.— Valdai  hills 
and  lake. — Bronitza. — Wooden  road,  how 
formed. — Further  account  of  the  peafants. — 
Their  cottages y  manners ^  andcujioms. — Of  the 
Yamfhics,  who  furnijh  poji  horfes. — Singing 
extremely  common  among  the  Ruffians* — Oji 
the  fubjeB  of  their  fongs ^  &c,  &c* 

WE  quitted  Mofcow  on  the  14th  of 
September^  and  traverfed  a  gently 
riling  country,  fome  part  of  it  open,  and 
the  reft  overfpread  with  forefts.  We  pafled 
the  night  at  the  fmall  village  of  Parfki,  in  a 

8  peafant's 


ZQZ         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  4, 

peafant's  cottage,  as  ufual,  and  changed  horfes 
the  next  morning  at  Klin,  fituated  upon  the 
Seftra,  a  broad  rivulet }  this  village  had  been 
lately  burnt,  and  the  peafants  were  engaged 
in  rebuilding  their  hats  :  near  it  we  obferved 
a  faw-pit,  which,  in  this  country,  was  too 
curious  an  objed;  not  to  attrad  our  notice, 
Peyond  Savidof  we  crofled  a  fmall  river,  and 
foon  afterwards  reached  the  banks  of  the 
Volga,  which  we  coafted  to  Gorodna.  The 
next  morning  the  fprings  of  our  carriage  being 
ready  to  ilart,  and  one  of  the  wheels  in  a 
crazy  ftate ;  we  fent  it  on  flowly,  under  the 
care  of  our  fervants,  ^nd  hired  for  ourfelves 
the  carts  of  the  country,  called  kibitkas^  which 
we  filled  with  hay ;  and  arrived,  after  a  confi-. 
derable  degree  pf  joltings  at  Tver,  which  is 
magnificently  fituated  upon  the  elevated  banks^ 
of  the  Volga, 

Tver  *  owes  its  origin  to  Vlodimir  Georgia 
vitch,  great-duke  of  Volodimir,  who  in  1182 
raifed  a  fmall  fortrefs  upon  the  point  wherq 
the  Tvertza  falls  into  the  Volga ;  in  order  to 
proted:  his  territories  againft  the  incurfions  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Novogorod,     Afterwards, 

*  See  Hift.  Ge^g.  Bcfchreibuiig  der  Sudt  Twerj  &c, 
Journ.  Pet,  for  November,  1780, 

in 


c.  It  t    V    »    B,  203 

jn  1240,   the  great-duke  Yaroflaf  !!•   built 
another  citadel  upon  the  fpot  now  occupied 
by  the  prefent  fprtrefs,  and  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  a  new  town;   which  foon  incneafed 
In  population  and  wealth  to  fo  great  a  degree, 
as  to  become  the  metropolis  of  an  indepen-- 
dent  fovereignty,  called  from  the  town  the 
duchy  of  Tver,     Yaroflaf  III.  fon  of  Ya- 
jroflaf  II.  and  brother  of  Alexander  Nevfki, 
received  this  duchy  as  his  inheritance;  and 
tranfniitted  the  fucceflion  to  a  long  train  of 
defcendants.     The  laft  fovereign  of  this  he- 
reditary line  was  Michael  Borifovitch,  whofe 
fitter  Maria  was  married  to  the  great-dukc 
Ivan  Vaflilievitch  I,     The  harmony  which 
had  for  fome  time  fubfifted  between  thefe  two 
neighbouring  princes  was  at  firft  ftrengthened 
by  this  alliance ;   but  in  the  courfe  of  a  few 
years,  either  mutual  jealoufies,  or  the  ambi- 
tious views  of  Ivan,  produced  an  open  rup- 
ture; and  in  i486  the  latter  befieged  Tver 
with    a    large   army.     Michael,     unable    to 
refift  fo  formidable  an  antagonift,  abandoned 
the  tpwn^  and  fled  into  Lithuania,  where  he 
died   in   e:5ftreme  indigence.     Upon   his   re- 
treat the  inhabitants  furrendered  Tver  te  Ivan 
Vaflilievitch,  who  befl:owed  it. and  the  duchy 
^s  a  fief  upon  his  eldeft  fon  Ivan ;  that  prince 

dying 


•  ^" 


204  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       8.4* 

dying  in  1490,  the  great-duke  annexed  the 
duchy  to  his  other  dominions  in  the  form 
of  a  province,  and  it  has  never  been  again  dif- 
membercd. 

Tver  is  divided  into  the  old  and  new  town:- 
the  former,  fituated  on  the  oppqfite  fide  of 
the  Volga,  confifts  almoft  entirely  of  wooden 
cottages ;  the  latter,  about  fifteen  years  ago, 
was,  a  few  buildings  excepted,  fcarcely  fu- 
perior;  but  being,  in  1763,  deftroyed  by  a 
dreadful  conflagration,  it  has  rifen  with  luftre 
from  its  afhes.  The  emprefs  was  no  fooner 
informed  of  this  calamity,  than  fhe  ordered  a 
regular  and  beautiful  plan  of  a  new  town  to 
be  flcQtched  by  an  eminent  architedt ;  and  en- 
joined, that  all  the  houfes  fhould  be  re-con- 
ftru6ted  in  conformity  to  this  model.  She 
raifed,  at  her  own  expence,  the  governor's 
houfe;  the  bifhop's  palace;  the  courts  of 
juftice  ;  the  new-exchange ;  the  prifon  ;  and 
ieveral  other  public  edifices  :  and  oflSered  to 
every  perfon,  who  would  engage  to  build  an 
houfe  with  brick,  a  loan  of  £.  300  for  twelve 
years  without  intereft.  The  money  advanced 
by  her  majefty  upon  this  occafion  amounted 
to  j^.  60,000  j  and  fhe  has  fince  remitted  one 
third  of  this  fum.  The  ftreets,  which  arc 
broad  and  long,  iffue  in  a  itraight  line  from  a 

fcjuare, 


\ 


C.  I.  TVER.  205 

Iquare,  or  rather  an  cxftagon,  in  the  center: 
the  houfes  of  this  oftagoh,  and  of  the  prin- 
cipal ftreets,  are  of  brick  ftuccoed  white,  and 
form  a  very  magnificent  appearancft.  Part 
only  of  the  new  tpwn,  when  we  paflfed  through 
it,  was  finifhed :  when  it  is  completed,  it  will 
confift  of  two  octagons,  with  feveral  ftreets 
leading  to  them,  and  interfering  each  other 
at  right  angles  -,  and  would  be  no  inconfider- 
able  ornament  to  the  moft  opulent  and  civi- 
lized country. 

There  is  an  ecclefiaftical  feminary  at  Tver, 
which  is  under  the  iniped:ion  of  the  bifhop, 
and  admits  600  ftudents*  In  1776  the  em- 
prefs  founded  a  fchool  for  the  inftrudion  of 
200  burghers'  children :  they  are  taught  to 
read,  write,  and  caft  accounts;  and  a  few 
of  them  are  trained  to  handicraft  trades.  In 
June,  1779,  an  academy  was  alfo  opened  in 
this  town,  for  the  education  of  the  young 
nobility  of  the  province,  at  the  charge  of  the 
fame  imperial  patronefs.  It  admits  120  ftu- 
dents ;  •  who  are  inftruded  in  foreign  lan- 
guages, arithmetic,  geography,  fortification, 
tadtics,  natural  philofophy,  mufic,  riding, 
dancing  *,  &c. 

*  Ibid. 

Tver 


jjl66  tRAVELS    tNTO    RUSSIA^       B.  p 

Tver  is  a  place  of  confiderable  commerce  i 
aiid  both  the  Volga  and  the  Tvertza  werd 
covered  vsrith  boats.  It  owes  its  principal 
trade  to  its  advantageous  fituation  ;  being 
near  the  conflux  of  thofe  two  rivers,  along 
which  are  conveyed  all  the  goods  and  mer- 
chandize fent  by  water  from  Siberia  and  the 
fouthern  provinces  towards  Peterfburgh^ 

The  Volga,  the  largeft  river  in  Europe^ 
rifes  in  the  foreft  of  Volkonfki,  about  the 
diftance  of  eighty  miles  from  Tver;  and 
begins  to  be  navigable  a  few  miles  above 
the  town*  It  is  there  about  the  breadth 
pf  the  Thames  at  Henley,  but  exceedingly 
fhallow ;  it  is,  however,  confiderably  increafed 
by  the  junction  of  the  Tverza,  which  is 
broader,  deeper,  and  more  rapid.  By  means 
of  the  Tverza,  a  communication  is  made  be- 
tween the  Volga  and  the  Neva,  or,  in  other 
Words,  between  the  Cafpian  and  the  Baltic ; 
as  will  be  explained  in  a  future  chapter. 
The  number  of  barges  v^hich  pafled  by  the 
town  in  1776  amounted  to  2537s  in  1777 
to  2.641  5  arid  the  average  number  is  generally 
computed  at  about  2550.  The  boats  are 
flat-bottomed,  on  account  of  the  frequent 
ihoals  in  the  Volga,  and  other  rivers  which 
compofe  this  long  inland  navigation.     They 

arc 


are  conftru(^e(l  with  new  pknks,  which  fhrink 
and  leave  wide  intervals,  that  are  fometimes 
filled  up  with  thin  flips  of  wood  cramped 
with  iron,  and  not  unfrequently  flopped  with 
tow.  The  rudders  of  thefe  veflels  have  a 
very  fingular  appearance :  the  handle  is  a 
tree  about  50  feet  long ;  at  the  further  end 
whereof  is  a  pole  which  defcends  perpendi- 
cularly to  the  water,  where  it  is  fixed  to  a 
broad  piece  of  timber,  which  floats  upon  the 
furface*  The  pilot  Hands  upon  a  kind  of 
fcaffold  at  the  diflance  of  about  30  or  40  feet 
from  the  flern,  and  turns  the  rudder  by 
means  of  its  long  handle.  Thefe  boats  are 
only  built  for  one  voyage;  for,  upon  their 
arrival  at  Peterfl^urgh,  they  are  taken  to  pieces 
and  fold  for  fuel. 

I  have  already  had  occafion  to  mention  the 
prodigious  wafle  of  wood  arifing  from  the 
prevailing  cuftom  of  forming  planks  with  the 
axe.  This  pradicc,  extremely  ■  detrimental  to 
the  forefls  of  the  empire,  was  no  lefs  ufual 
among  the  fhipwrights  than  among  the  pea- 
fants  j  and  the  former,  either  from  ignorance 
or  prejudice,  could  only  be  reconciled  to  the 
uiie  of  the  faw  by  the  following  expedient. 
Orders  were  ifliied  from  government,  that 
each  vefliel,  pafling  by  Tver,  in  which  there 

was 


^08         TRAVitLS   INTO    RtlSSIA.        B.^. 

was  one  plank  fafhioncd  with  the  hatchet, 
fhould  pay  a  fine  of  ^.  6*  In  confequencc 
of  this  decree  the  officer,  who  was  fent  to 
levy  the  fine,  colic<3:ed  the  firft  year  jT.  6000 ; 
the  fefcond  JC^^S^o;  the  third  ^.  loo;  and  the 
fourth  nothing.  By  this  judicious  regulation 
the  ufe  of  the  faw  has  been  introduced  among 
the  Ruffian  fhipwrights ;  and  will  probably 
in  time  recommend  itfelf  to  the  carpenters 
and'pealants. 

The  rifing  fpirit  of  commerce  has  added 
greatly,  within  thefe  few  years,  to  the  wealth 
and  population  of  the  town.  It  contains 
at  prefent  at  leaft  1 0,000  fouls ;  and  the 
number  of  inhabitants  in  the  government  of 
Tver  has  increafed  in  a  very  furprifing  de- 
gree :  a  circumftance  which  fhews  the  advan- 
tages arifing  from  her  prefent  majelly's  new 
code  of  laws.  Tver  was  the  firft  province 
qf  this  empire  which  was  newly  modelled 
according  to  that  code;  and  it  has  already 
experienced  the  beneficial  eflfeds  of  thefe  ex- 
cellent regulations. 

Tver  being  a  large  town,  we  concluded 
ihzt  we  fhould  find  no  difficulty  in  obtaining 
the  neceflary  repairs  for  our  carriage,  fo  as  to 
enable  it  to  convey  us,  during  two  or  three 
days  a|  leaft,  without  requiring  any  further 

i  affiftance. 


C.   I.  T      V      E      R4  209 

affi fiance.  Trufting,  therefore,  to  the  work- 
manfhip  of  a  Ruffian  fmith,^  we  fet  oiF  about 
fix  in  the  evening  with  the  expectation  of 
reaching,  in  about  four  hours,  the  next  poft, 
where  we  purpofed  to  pafs  the  night  5  but  we. 
had  fcarcely  proceeded  ten  miles,  before  we 
perceived  that  the  wheel,  inftead  of  being 
ftrengthened;  had  been  weakened  by  the  fmith's 
unikilfulnefs^  dnd  ieemed  every  inftant  in 
danger  of  breaking.  In  this  fituation  we 
Hopped  at  a  fmall  village ;  where  it  was  not 
poflibfe  to  procure  any  affiftance,  not  even  a 
candle  to  fmear  the  wheel,  which  required  a 
conftailt  fupply  of  greafe  to  prevent  it  from 
taking  fire ;  and  as  the  next  place  in  our 
route,  likely  to  affoi-d  a  new  wheel,  was  above 
fixty  miles  diftant,  we  thought  it  mofl:  prudent 
to  return  to  Tver^  I  readily  confoled  my« 
fehffor  this  delay;  as  it  gave  us  an  oppor- 
tunity to  pay  more  attention  to  the  town  and 
its  environs  than  our  ti-arifienl  ftay  had  hi- 
therto permitted.  We  took  up  our  abode 
at  the  fame  houfe  we  had  jufl:  quitted :  it 
was  an  inn  kept  by  a  German ;  and  was  one 
of  the  ftew  magnificent  brick  edifices  lately 
ere<aed ;  but  almoft  totally  without  furniture 
or  beds. 

Vol.  II.  P  On 


210  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  4. 

On  the  following  day  we  made  an  agreeable 
excurfion  into  the  adjacent  country :  we  firft 
croffed  the  Volga  over  a  bridge  of  boats,  and 
the  Tvertza  over  a  raft;  and  rode  between 
the  banks  of  thofe  two  beautiful  rivers.  We 
then  left  the  Volga  to  purfue  its  courfc 
towards  the  Cafpian  Sea,  .watering,  as  it 
pafles,  fome  of  the  moft  fertile  provinces  of 
Ruffia,  and  bathing  the  walls  of  Cafan  and 
Aftracan ;  and  we  made  a  circuit  in  the  en- 
virons of  Tver :  we  frequently  flopped  to 
admire  feveral  delightful  views  of  the  new 
town  proudly  feated  upon  the  fteep  bank  of 
the  Volga,  the  country  gently  Hoping  towards 
the  river. 

Tver  lies  in  the  midft  of  a  large  plain, 
interfperfed  here  and  there  with  gentle  ac- 
clivities, which  can  hardly  be  calkd  hills  : 
the  country  produces  in  great  abundance 
wheat,  rye,  barley,  oats,  buck-wheat,  hemp 
and  flax,  and  all  forts  of  vegetables.  Its 
forefts  yield  oak,  birch,  alder,  poplar,  moun- 
tain-afh,  pines  and  firs,  junipers,  &c.  The 
quadrupeds,  which  rove  in  the  neighbouring 
country,  are  elks,  bears,  wolves,  and  foxes ; 
wild -goats,  and  hares ;  alfo  badgers,  martens, 
weafels,  ermines,  ferrets,  fquirrels,  and  mar- 
mottes,  &c.  The  principal  birds  obferved 
2  in 


C.   I*  T       V       E       R4  211 

in  this  diftrid:  are  eagles  and  falcons,  cranes, 
herons,  fwa^s,  wild-geefe  and  ducks,  par- 
tridge^,  quails,  woodcocks  and  fnipes,  black- 
game ; .  alfo  crows  and  ravens,  magpies  and 
black-birds,  fparrows  and  ftarlings,  together 
with  nightingales,  linnets,  larks  and  yellow- 
hammers.  The  fiih  which  are  caught  in 
the  Volga  are  falmon,  fterlet,  tench,  pike, 
perch,  groundlings,  gudgeons,  and  fometimes, 
but  rarely,  fturgeon  and  beluga. 

The  fterlet  being  a  very  uncommon  fifh, 
and  probably  peculiar  to  the  northern  parts  of 
the  globe,  I  am  induced  to  give  a  defcription 
of  it,  and  to  enumerate  the  principal  rivers  of 
Ruffia  in  which  it  is  found. .  The  ^erlet, 
the  acipenfer  ruthenus  of  Linnaeus,  is  a  fpecies 
of  fturgeon,  highly  efteerned  for  the  flavour 
and  delicacy  of  its  flefh,  and  for  its  row, 
from  which  the  fineft  caviare  is .  made.  It 
is  diftinguifhed  from  the  other  fturgeons  by 
its  inferior  fize  *,  being  feldom  more  than 
three  -f-  feet  in  length,   and  by  its  colour. 

The 

*  This  defcription  is  chiefly  taken  from  Lepekin's  Reife^ 
in  his  account  of  the  fifliery  of  Sinbirfk  upon  the  Volga, 
Vol.  11.  p.  154. 

t  Mr.  Pallas  fays,  that  the  fterlets  of  the  Irtifli  are,  next 
t©  thofe  of  the  Oby,  the  largeft  in  Ruffia,  being  frequently 

P  2  "  uebcr 


^12         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA*  B.4, 

The  top  of  the  head  and  the  back  are  of  a 
ydlowifh  grey  -,  the  fides  of  the  body  whitifh  ^ 
and  the  belly  white  mixed  with  rofe-colour^ 
cfpecially  towards  the  mouth  and  vent.  The 
€yes  are  of  a  flcy-blue,  encircled  with  white. 
The  £hout  is  long  and  pointed,  comprefled 
and  fluited..  The  mouth  is  tranfverfe  with 
thick  prominent  lips,  which  it  has  the  poveer 
of  drawing  inwards^  with  a  beards  confifting 
of  four  ^all  and  foft  cirrhiy  or  wattles  .^ 
It  has  five  rows  of  pointed  bony  imbricated 
Icales,  one  upon  its  back»  two  along  it&  fides^ 
and  two  under  its  belly.  The  row  upon 
its  back  begins  from  the  neck  and  reaches  to 
Ae  dorfal  fin.  Their  number*,,  by  which 
Linna^t  afcertains  the  fpecies,  and  fi^^s  at 
15,  varies  from  14  to  ij^  The  two  fide 
rows  begin  from  the  upper  angle  of  the  gill- 
covers,  and  reach  to  the  middle  of  the  tail : 
their  form  is  flat  in  the  middle,  with  dentated 

^  uebep  ^nderthalb  ellealong,,"  or  aa  ell  and  an  half  long.. 
By  an  elly  I  fuppofe,  is  tneant  an  arfhime  =  26  inehes,  and 
Aen  the  length  oC  thefe  will  be  3  feet  i  inch*.  See  Pallas* 
Reife,  Part  IL  p.  446.  Lepekin  fays,  that  the  fterlets  of 
the  Volga  are  feldom  more  than  two  feet  in  length* 

♦  Acipenfer  Ruthenus  cirris  4.  fquamis  dorfalibus  15*. 
Muf.  Fred.  I.  p.  54.  and  Faun.  Sue.  %%2. — ^In  the  Syft.. 
Nat.  p.  403,  he  defines  it,  Acipenfer  ordinibus  5.  fquama-.- 
£um  Qi&arujn,  intermedio  officulis  15^ 

ia  margins; 


margins  turning  towards  the  tail ;  their  num- 
ber varies  from  60  to  70,  The  two  rows, 
which  lie  under  the  belly,  begin  from  the 
pe(9:oral  and  reach  towards  the  ventral  fins : 
they  are  four-lided,  much  fmaller  than  thofe 
upon  the  back,  and  thickier  than  thofe  on  the 
fides.  Befide  thefe  five  rows,  dierc  arc  alfa' 
fome  adipofe  bony-fcales  between  the  tail 
and  the  vent  >  their  number  is  invariably  five:. 
The  reft  of  the  fkin  iB  totally  without  fcalcs, 
but  is  extremely  rough  to  the  touchy  It 
has,  like  moft  other  fifli,  two  peroral  fins, 
two  ventral,  one  anal,  one  dorfal,  and  its  tail 
is  forked*.  Many  authors  have  erred  in 
fuppofing  this  fifh  to  be  peculiar  to  the  Volga 
and  the  Gafpian  Sea ;  for  they  frequent  many 
other  rivers,  lakes,  and  feas,  of  the  Rufiiaa 
«npire.  MuUer  informs  us,  that  they  are 
caught  in  the  Dnieper,  and  feveral  rivers 
falling  into  the  Frozen  Ocean,  particularly 
the  Lena-f*.  I^ange  afferts,  that  they  are 
found  in  the  Yenifei;  Pallas  defcribes  theoi 

•  The  reader  will  find  an  engraving  of  the  ftcriet  in  the 
MuTeum  Fred*  I.  of  Linnaeus,  in  Le  Bru)^'s  Tr^ds^ 
yd.  I.  p«  89 ;  and  in  Lepekin'§  Reife,  Tab.  9.   ''^'" 

t  S.  R.  G.  IX.  p,  4,  Haygold's  Rufsland,  vol.  II.  p.  4i6, 
Pallas  Reife,  P.  I.  p«  2841  P.  IL  p«  446,  GeorgI  Reife, 
yoi.  I.  p.  177* 

P  3  as 


214         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  4. 

as  inhabiting  the  Irtifli,  Oby,  and  Yaik; 
Georgi  mentions  them  among  the  fifli  of  the 
lake  Baikal,  and  fometimes  in  the  Angara. — 
We  learn  from  Linnaeus,  that  by  order  of 
Frederic  I.  king  of  Sweden,  fome  live  fterlets, 
procured  from  Ruflia,  were  thrown  into  the 
lake  Maeler,  where  they  propagated*.  They 
have  been  fometimes  caught  in  the  Gulf  of 
Finland,  and  even  in  the  Baltic  ;  yet  they  are 
fuppofed  not  to  have  been  natives  of  thofe 
feas,  but  ftray  fifh,  which  efcaped  from  fome 
veflels  that  were  dafhed  to  pieces  in  paffing 
the  falls  of  the  river  Mafta  -f. 

Sept.  19,  Having  obtained  the  valuable 
acquifition  of  a  new  wheel,  we  proceeded  on 
our  journey  in  the  afternoon ;  and  were  enabled 
to  reach,  before  the  clofe  of  the  evening, 
Torfhok,  which  is  fituated  upon  the  banks  of 

*  Habitat  in  lacu  Mselero,  quern  potentiffimus  Rex 
Sueciae  Fredericus  I.  ex  Ruflia.  allatunt  in  hoc  lacu  plan- 
tari  curavit.     Faun.  Sue.  No.  272. 

f  Bruce  relates,  in  his  Memoirs,  that  "  fome  veflels 
*'  going  for  Peterlburgh  with  live  fifli,  called  Sterlit,  in 
^^  paflling  the  falls  of  Ladoga  were  beat  to  pieces,  by  which 
'  accident  die  fifli  regained  their  liberty ;  and  fome  of  them 
^^  were  ;:''"'?rwards  taken  at  Cronftadt,  and  one  catched  at 
**  Stockholm,  which  were  confidered  as  great  curiofities, 
*'  as  none  of  them  had  ev^r  been  ften  in  thofe  feas  before.'* 

the 


C.   !•      JOURNEY    TO    PETERSBURGH.        215 

the  Tvertza.  It  is  a  large  ftraggling  place, 
confifting  chiefly  of  wooden  buildings,  inter- 
mixed with  a  few  public  iftrudtures  and  houfes 
of  brick,  lately  erected  at  the  expence  of  the 
emprefs. 

Although  Torfhok  was  only  forty  miles 
diftant  from  Tver,  we  efleemed  it  a  fortunate 
circumflance  that,  during  that  fpace,  no  ac- 
cident had  happened  to  our  carriage.  But 
we  were  not  fo  fuccefsful  on  the  enfuing  day : 
for  the  axle-tree  breaking  about  fix  miles  from 
Vidropulk,  we  walked  to  that  village;  and 
having  procured  a  temporary  axle-tree  to  fup-  * 
port  our  infirm  vehicle,  we  again  proceeded 
in  kibitkas  as  far  as  Vifhnei-Volofhok  ;  a 
place  remarkable  for  the  canal,  which,  by 
uniting  the  Tvertza  and  the  Mafta,  connedls 
the  inland  navigation  between  the  Cafpian  and 
the  Baltic. 

Vifhnei-Volofliok,  one  of  the  imperial  vil- 
lages enfranchifed  by  the  emprefs,  and  en- 
dowed with  confiderable  privileges,  has  already 
reaped  many  benefits  from  its  new  immunities. 
The  inhabitants,  raifed  from  the  fituation  of 
flaves  to  that  of  freemen,  feem  to  have  fhaken 
off  their  former  indolence,  and  to  have  caught 
a  new  fpirit  of  emulation  and  induftry :  they 
have  turned  their  attention  to  trade ;  and  are 

'    P  4  awakened 


awakened  to  a  fenfe  of  the  commercial  ad- 
vantages poflefled  by  th?  placje  of  their  abode. 
The  town  is  divided  iiito  regular  ftreets  >  and 
is  already  pravidcd  with  a  large  range  of 
ihops  and  warehoufes,  which  line  each  fide 
of  the  canal.  All  the  buildings  are  of  wood, 
excepting  the  court  of  juftice  crc&cd  at  the 
charge  of  the  emprefa,  and  four  brick  houies 
belonging  to  ^  rich  burgher.  During  our 
ftay  at  Vifhnei-Voloihock,  we  did  not  fell  to 
examine,  with  great  attention,  every  part  of 
the  celebrated  canal,  of  which,  an  account  wijl, 
be  given  in  a  future  chapter  ^. 

Having  procured  a  new  axle-tree,,  we 
quitted,  on  tjie  2 1  ft,^  Vifhnei- Volofhok,  crof- 
fed  the  river  Shlina ;  and  continued  along  x 
timber  rpad,  carried  over  exten^ve  morafles^ 
and  abounding  with  innumerable  fmal J. bridges, 
without  railing,  and  moftly  in  a  fhattered 
fUte.  I  obferved  fevcral  villages,  as  well  as 
fields  and  gardens,  furroi^nded  with  v^ooden 
palifadoes,  about  twelve  feet  in.  height,  which 
prefented  a  pii^^refque  appearance.  The 
cufliQin  of  encircling  vijlagcs  in  this  country, 
with  flakes  is  very  antient :  for  amoijg  the 
earlieft  laws  of  Ruffia  we  find   qjie  which 

*  On   the  inland   navigation   of  Ruffia  in   the  next 
volume. 

enjoins 


C.I.      JOURNEY    TO    PETBRSBURGH.        217 

enjoins  *  the  peafants,  under  pain  .  of  the 
knoot,  to  furround  the  towns  and  villages 
with  palifadoes.  Thefe  enclofures  were  pro- 
bably intended  as  a  kind  of  defence  againft 
the  defiiltory  incurfions  of  the  Tartar  hordes 
before  the  invention  of  gunpowder ;  and  the 
prad:ice  has  been  preferved,^  though  no  longer 
of  ufe,  among  a  people  r^nmrkably  tenacious 
of  old  ufages. 

The  country  was  for  feme  way  almoft  a 
continued  bog,  covered  with  foreft ;  and  the 
villages  were  built  upon  eminences  of  fand 
rifiog  out  of  the  morafs.  We  paffed  the 
night  zt  KiioliloflF,  a  fmajl  villagCj  which 
h^  alfo  lately  been  confumed  by  'fire.  Thefe 
repeated  conflagration^  wiU  by  no  means  ap- 
pear a  matter  of  wonder,  when  it  is  confidered^ 
that  tihi©  cottages  are  built  with  wood ;  and 
that  the  greateft  part  of  the  peafants,  like 
thofe  in  Poland,  ufe,  inflead  pf  candles,  long 
flips  of  lighted  deal,  which  they  carry  about 
the  houfe,  and  even  into  hay-lofts,  without 
the  leaft  precaution.  The  next  morning, 
the  bad  roads  having  fhattered  our  new  wheel, 
which  was  aukwardly  put  together,  and  began 
already  to  dxfcover  fymptoms  of  premature 

*  Haygold,  vol.  1,  p.  357. 

decay, 


2l8  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       ,B.  4. 

decay,  we  flopped  to  repair :  but  the  repairs 
were  as  treacherous  as  the  original  fabric ; 
for,  before  the  end  of  the  ftage,  it  again  came 
to  pieces,  and  we  were  again  delayed  fome 
hours  at  Yedrovo  before  we  could  venture  to 
continue  our  journey ;  but  we  now  thought 
ourfelves  blefled  with  the  afliftance  of  a  very 
mafterly  mechanic,  as  his  workmanfhip  lafted 
to  Zimagor,  a  fmall  village,  prettily  fituated 
upon  the  borders  of  the  lake  Valdai.  The 
country  around  Valdai  is  the  moft  agreeable 
and  diverfified,  which  we  had  traverfed  fincc 
our  departure  from  Mofcow.  It  rifes  agree- 
ably into  a  variety  of  gentle  eminences ;  and 
abounds  with  beautiful  lakes,  prettily  fprinkled 
with  woody  iflands,  and  fkirted  with  foreft, 
corn-fields,  and  paflures.  The  largefl  of 
thefe  lakes  is  called  Valdai,  and  feemed  to 
be  about  twenty  miles  in  circumference :  in 
the  middle  is  an  ifland  containing  a  convent, 
which  rifes  with  its  numerous  fpires  among 
cluflers  of  furrounding  trees.  Valdai,  which 
gives  its  name  to  the  lake,  and  to  the  range 
of  hills  in  the  midfl  of  which  it  is  fituated, 
contains  feveral  new  brick-buildings  ;  and 
even  the  wooden  houfes  are  more  decorated 
'  than  the  generality  of  Ruffian  cottages :  it 
lies  upon  an  agreeable  flope,  and  commands  a 

pleafant 


C.  I.       JOURNEY    TO    PETERSBURGH.        219 

pleafant  view  of  the  lake.    The  Valdai  hills, ' 
though  of  no  confiderable  elevation,  are  the 
higheft  in  this  part  of  the  country;  and  Ic- 
parate   the  waters  which  flow   towards  the 
Cafpian  from  thofe  which  take  their  courfe 
towards  the  Baltic.     From  their  foot,  there 
was   no  longer  a  beautiful  diverlity  of  hills 
and   dales,   enlivened   with   lakes  j    but   the ' 
country   prefented,   for  -  a   confiderable   way,  • 
an  uniform  flat,  with  a  vaft  extent  of  mo- 
rafs. 

On  the  24th,  in  the  afternoon,  we  arrived 
in  good  time  at  Bronitza,  a  village  upon  the 
Mafta,  within  twenty  miles  of  Novogorod. 
We  took  up  our  abode  for  the  night  in  the 
houfe  of  a  Rufllan  priefl:,  which  in  no  wife 
differed  from  the  other  buildings  either  in 
fize  or  goodnefs.  It  was  very  clean,  how- 
ever, and  comfortable ;  having  a  chimney, 
and  being  provided  with  a  large  plenty  of 
wooden  and  earthen  utenfils.  The  prieft, 
not  being  attired  in  his  clerical  habits,  was' 
drefl^ed  like  the  peafants ;  and  was  only  diflin- 
guifhed  from  them  by  his  hair,  which  hung 
loofe  over  his  fhoulders  to  a  confiderable 
length.  He,  his  wife,  and  the  reft  of  the 
family,  were  bufily  employed  in  extracting 
the  row  from  large  quantities  of  fifh,  which 

arc 


220         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA*       B.  4* 

arc  caught  in  the  Mafta,  and  with  which  an 
excellent  caviare  is  prepared*  Having  ob- 
tained from  our  landlady  fome  of  the  choiceft 
of  thele  fiih,  and  having  procured  in  the  vil- 
lage, by  means  of  our  fervant,  a  brace  of 
ptarmigans,  a  bird  of  the  partridge  fpecks ; 
we  fauntered  out,  while  fupper  was  preparing, 
towards  a  neighbouring  hill,  which  ftrongly 
attracted  our  attention.    ' 

About  two  miles  from  the  village^  in  the 
middle  of  a  vaft  plain,  rifes,  in  a  circular  form, 
an  infulated  hill  compofed  of  fand  and  clay  ; 
the  lower  part,  and  upwards,  to  about  half 
its  height,  is  thickly  ftrewed  with  detached 
pieces  of  red  and  grey  granite,  limilar  to  manjr 
others  which  appear  about  d>e  adjacent  coun- 
try. I:  meafured  one  of  jtnefe  mafles,  and 
found  it  to  be  twelve  feet  broad,  eight  rfMckjL 
and  five  above  the  furfece  of  the  ground,  but 
how  deep  it  was  buried  I  could  not  afcertalnk 
Naturalifts  greatly  differ  concerning  the  origin 
of  thefe  granitical  maffcs,  and  by  what  mean» 
they  were  thus  diffufed  over  the  face  of  the 
earth.  Some  conjedlure,  that  they  were 
brought  and  left  there  by  the  waters;  others 
fuppofe  them  to  have  originally  made  parts  of 
the  primitive  rocks  which  exifted  in  many 
places  of  the  globe^  and  which  by  lapfe  of 

time* 


C.I.        JOURNEY    TO    PETERSFUGH.         221 

time,  or  by  violent  convulfions,  having 
Crumbled  or  been  broken  to  pieces,  have  kft 
every  vrhere  thefe  vaft  fragments  ae  momi«^ 
ments  of  their  prior  exiftence  *. 

Upon  the  fummit  of  this  hill  fknds  a  brkk 
white-waflied  church,  vvrhich  is  a  pleafing 
objedt  from  the  adjacent  grounds.  Fronat 
its  top  we  had  a  very  Angular  and  extenfivc 
profpedt.  Immediately  at  its  foot  the  coun-*^ 
try,  for  three  w  four  miles,,  is  foihewhat  open, 
and  divided  into  large  enclofiires  of  pafture 
and  com.  Towards  the  fouth  rife  tho  Valdai 
hills,  Ikirting  an  immenfe  plain^  which 
ftretches  towards  the  north,  eaft,.  and  weft, 
as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach;  a  vaft  expanfe 
without  a  fingle  lullock  to  obftnwft  the  view  : 
it  feemed  little  more  than  an  endlefs  foreft, 
dotted  with  a  few  fblitary  wooden  villages, 
which  appeared  fo  many  points  in  a  bound- 
lefs  defert.  Beyond,  at  a  great  diftance,  we^ 
obferved  the  fpires  of  Novogorod,  and  the 
lake  Ilmen  fcarcely  diicernible  through  the 
thick  gloom  of  the  trees. 

♦  See  fome  curious  conjeihires  upon  thefe  granite 
ftones  of  Bronitza,  in  Pallas's  Travels;  and  alfo  in 
Hiftoire  des  Decouvertes  dans  plufieurs  contrces  de  li 
Ruifie^  &c.  VoL  L  p»  42,  &c^ 

The 


1 


222  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  4* 

The  forwardnefs  of  the  harveft  in  this  nor- 
thern climate  has  been  already  mentioned  *  : 
it  had  been  fome  time  taken  in,  and  the  new 
corn  was  already  fpringing  up  in  toany  places. 
The  corn  remains,  during  winter,  buried 
under  the  fnow ;  at  the  melting  of  which, 
in  fpring,  it  fhoots  up  fpeedily  in  thefe  coun- 
tries, where  vegetation,  upon  the  returning 
warmth  of  the  feafon,  is  very  quick  in  all 
its  operations.  But  as  the  ihortnefs  of  the 
fummer  does  not  always  allow  the  grain  time 
to  ripen,  the  peafants  ufe  the  following  method 
of  drying  it.  They  raife  a  wooden  building, 
without  windows,  and  with  only  a  fmall  door, 
fomewhat  fimilar  to  the  fhell  of  their  com- 
mon cottages :  under  this  ftrudture  is  a  large 
cavity,  in  which,  a  fire  being  made,  the  new- 
cut  corn,  in  the  ear,  is  laid  upon  the  fk)or 
and  dried;  it  is  then  hung  upon  frames  in 
the  open  air,  and  afterwards  threfhed. 

In  this  part  of  our  journey  we  pafled  by 
numberlefs  herds  of  oxen,  moving  towards 
Peter fburgh  for  the  fupply  of  that  capital. 
Moft  of  them  had  been  brought  from  the 
Ukraine,  the  ndareft  part  of  which  country 
is   diflant   800  miles   from   the   metropolis. 

*  Vol.  I.  p,  373. 

During 


C.  I.       JOURNEY    TO    PETERSBURGH.        22^ 

During  this  long  progrefs  the  drivers  feldom 
enter  any  houfe ;  they  flop  to  feed  their  cattle 
upon  the  flips  of  pafture  which  lie  on  each 
fide  of  the  road j  and  they  themfelves  have 
no  other  covering  in  bad  weather  but  what  is 
afforded  by  the  foliage  of  the  trees.  In  the 
evening  the  flill  filence  of  the  country  was 
interrupted  by  the  occafional  lowing  of  the 
oxen,  and  the  carols  of  the  drivers ;  while 
the'  folitary  gloom  of  the  forefl  was  enlivened 
by  the  glare  of  numerous  fires,  furrounded  by 
different  groups  of  herdfmen  in  various  atti- 
tudes :  fome  were  fitting  round  the  flame, 
fome  employed  in  dreffing  their  provifions, 
amd  others  fleeping  upon  the  bare  ground. 
They  refembled,  in  their  drefs  and  manners,  a 
rambling  horde  of  Tartars. 

The  route  from  Mofcow  to  Pcterfburgh 
is  continued  during  a  fpace  of  500  miles, 
almofl  in  a  flraight  line  cut  through  the 
forefl,  and  is  extremely  tedious  :  on  each  fide 
the  trees  are  cleared  away  to  the  breadth  of 
forty  or  fifty  paces  ;  and  the  whole  way  lies 
chiefly  through  endlefs  trails  of  wood,  only 
broken  by  villages,  round  which,  to  a  fmall 
diflance,  the  grounds  are  open  and  culti- 
-vated. 

The 


4it4         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSfelA.         B.  4. 

The  road  is  of  an  equal  breadth,  and  is 
formed  in  the  following  manner:  trunks  * 
of  trees  are  laid  tranfverfely  in  rows  parallel 
to  each  other,  and  are  bound  down  in  the 
center,  and  at  each  extremity,  by  long  poles, 
or  beams,  fattened  into  the  ground  with 
wooden  pegs  ;  thefe  trunks  are  covered  with 
layers  of  boughs,  and  the  whole  is  ftrewed 
over  with  fand  or  earth.  When  the  road 
is  new,  it  is  remarkably  good ;  but  as  the 
trunks  decay  or  fink  into  the  ground;  and 
as  the  fand  or  earth  is  worn  away  or  wafhed 
off  by  the  rain,  as  is  frequently  the  cafe  for 
feveral  miles  together,  it  is  broken  into  in- 
numerable holes ;  and  the  jolting  of  the  car-* 
riage  over  the  bare  timber  can  better  be  con- 

♦  Mr.  Hanway  makes  the  following  curious  calculation 
of  the  number  of  trees  Employed  to  make  a  road  of  156 
verfts,  or  100  miles.  "  Allowing  one  tree  with  another 
*^  to  be  9  inches  diameter,  and  the  length  23  feet,  and  fup- 
*'  pofmg  the  foundation  and  fides  to  be  only  half  fo  ttiany 
*'  more  as  the  bridge  is  compofed  of,  and  the  road  to  be 
**  46  feet  wide,  here  is  an  expence  of  2,100^00  trees*" 
Hanway's  Travels,  vol.  I.  p.  92. 

If  we  extend  this  calculation  over  the  whole  ejttent  of 
the  Ruffian  empire,  reaching  4600  miles  in  length,  and  take 
in  the  different  crofs-roads,  the  expence  of  wood  muft  be 
amazing  ;  but  the  forefts  ait  alfo  boundlefs  and  inexhauft* 
ible* 

ceived 


C.I.       JOURNEY    TO    PETERSBURGH.        225 

ceived  than  defcribed.  In  many  places  the 
road  may  be  confidered  as  Httle  elfe  than 
a  perpetual  fucceffion  of  ridges ;  and  the  mo- 
tion of  the  carriage  a  continual  concuffion, 
and  much  greater  than  I  ever  experienced 
over  the  rougheft  pavement. 

The  village;s  which  occafionally  line  this 
r^ute  are  extremely  fimilar  to  each  other  ; 
they  ufually  confift  of  a  fingle  ftreet,  with 
wooden  cottages  ;  a  few  only  being  diftin- 
guifhed  by  brick  houfes.  The  cottages  in 
thefe  parts  are  far  fuperior  to  thofe  we  ob- 
ferved  between  Tolitzin  and  Mofcow :  they 
feemed,  indeed,  well  fuited  to  a  rigorous  cli- 
mate ;  and  although  conftru<3:ed  in  the  rudeft 
and  moft  artlefs  manner,  arc  very  comfort- 
able habitations.  The  fite  of  each  building 
is  an  oblong  fquare,  which  furrounds  an  open 
area,  and,  being  inclofed  within  an  high 
wooden  wall,  with  a  penthoufe  roof,  looks  on. 
the  outfide  like  a  large  bam.  In  one  angle 
of  this  inclofure  ftands  the  houfe,  fronting 
the  ftreet  of  the  village,  with  the  ftair-cafe  oa 
the  outfide,  and  the  door  opening  underneath 
the  penthoufe  roof :  it  contains  one,  or  at  moft 
two  rooms. 

I  have  frequently  had  occafion  to  obferve, 
that  beds   are  by  no  means   ufual    in  this 

Vol.  IL  Q^  country^ 


1  r 

226         TRAVELS     INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  4. 

country ;  infbmuch  that,  in  all  the  cottages 
I  entered  in  Ruffia,  I  only  obferved  two,  each 
of  which  contained  two  women  at  different 
ends  with  their  clothes  on.  The  family 
flept  generally  upon  the  benches,  on  the 
ground,  or  over  the  ftove  * ;  occafionally 
men,  women,  and  children,  promifcuoufly, 
without  any  difcrimination  of  fex  or  condition^ 
and  frequently  almoft  in  a  ftate  of  nature. 
In  fome  cottages  I  obferved  a  kind  of  fhelf, 
about  fix  or  feven  feet  from  the  ground,  car- 
ried from  one  end  of  the  room  to  the  other  ; 
to  which  were  fattened  feveral  tranfverfe 
planks,  and  upon  thefe  fome  of  the  family 
llept  with  their  heads  and  feet  occafionally 
hanging  down,  and  appearing  to  us,  who 
were  not  accuftomed  to  fuch  places  of  repofe,. 
as  if  they  were  upon  the  point  of  falling  to 
the  ground.  The  number  of  perfons  thus 
crowded  into  a  fmall  fpace,  and  which  fome- 
times  amounted  to  twenty,  added  to  the  heat 
of  the  ftove,  rendered  the  room  intolerably 
warm  ;  and  produced  a  fuffocating  fmell> 
which  nothing  but  ule  enabled  us  to  fupport. 
This  inconvenience  was  ftill  more  difagree- 

*  The  ftove  is  a  kind  of  back  oven ;  it  occupies  almoft 
a  quarter  of  the  room^  and  is  flat  at  top. 

able 


abk  in  thofe  cottages  which  were  not  provided 
with  chimnies,  where  the  fmoke,  being  con-» 
fined  in  the  room,  loaded  the  atmofphere  with 
additional  impurities.  If  we  opened  the  lat-* 
tices  during  the  nighty  in  order  to  relieve  us 
from  this  oppreffion  by  the  admiffion  of  frefh 
air ;  fuch  an  influx  of  cold  wind  rufhed  into 
the  room,  that  we  preferred  the  heat  and 
effluvia  to  the  kcennefs  of  thefe  northern 
blafts. 

In  the  midft  of  every  room  hangs  from  the 
cieling  a  veflel  of  holy  water,  and  a  lamp, 
which  is  lighted  only  on  particular  occafion^* 
Every  houfe  is  provided  with  i  picture  of  ibme. 
iaint  coarfely  daubed  upon  wood,  which  fre* 
quently  refembles  more  a  Calmuc  idol,  than 
tl«  reprefentation  of  a  human  head  i  to  this 
^  people  pay  the  higheft  marks  of  venera- 
tion.    All  the  members  of  the  family,  the 
moment  they  rofe  in  the  morning,  and  be- 
fore they  retired  to  fleep  in  the  evening,  never 
omitted  flanding  before  the  faint :  they  crofled 
ihemfelves  during  feveral  minutes  Upon  the 
fides  and  on  the  forehead  j  bowed  very  low  5 
and  fometimes  even  proftrated  themfelves  on 
the  ground.     Every  peafant  alfb,  upon  enter- 
ing the  room,  always  paid  his  obeifance  to 

0^2  this 


228         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.         B.  4. 

this  objed;   of  worfhip,  before  he  addreffed 
himfelf  to  the  family. 

The  peafants,  in  their  common  intercourfe, 
are  remarkably  polite  to  each  other :  they  take 
off  their  cap  at  meeting ;  bow  ceremonioufly^ 
and  frequently ;  and  ufually  exchange  a  falute. 
They  accompany  their  ordinary  difcourfe  with 
much  adlion  and  innumerable  geftures ;  an4 
are  exceedingly  fervile  in  their  expreflions  of 
deference  to  their  fuperiors  :  in  accofting  a  per- 
fon  of  confequence,  they  proftrate  themfelves ; 
and  even  touch  the  ground  with  their  heads. 
We  were  often  ftruck  at  receiving  this  kind 
of  caftern  homage,  not  only  from  beggars, 
but  frequently  from  children,  and  occafionally 
from  fome  of  the  peafants  themfelves. 

In  the  appearance  of  the  common  people, 
nothing  furprifcd  us  more  than  the  enormous 
thicknefs  of  their  legs,  which  we  at  firft  con- 
ceived to  be  their  real  dimenfions  -,  until  we 
were  undeceived  by  the  frequent  exhibition 
of  their  bare  feet,  and  by  being  admitted  to 
their  toilets  without  the  leaft  ceremony.  The 
bulk,  which  created  our  aftoniihment,  pro- 
ceeded from  the  vaft  quantity  of  coverings 
with  which  they  fwaddle  their  legs,  in  fum- 
mer  as  well  as  in  winter.  Befide  one  or  two 
pair  of  thick  worfted  ftockings,  they  envelop 

their 


C.  I.     JOUtRNEY    TO    PETERSBURGH.        I29 

their  legs  with  wrappers  of  coarfe  flannel  or 
cloth,  feveral  feet  in  length ;  and  over  thefe 
they  frequenjtly  draw  a  pair  of  boots,  fo  large 
as  to  receive  their  bulky  contents  with  the 
utmoft  facility. 

The  peafants  are  well  clothe4>  comfort- 
ably lodged;  and  feem  to  enjpy  plenty  of. 
wholefome  food.  Their  rye-bread,  whofe 
blacknefs  at  firfl  difgufts  the  eye,  and  whofe 
Iburnefs  the  tafte,  of  a  delicate  traveller, 
agrees  very  well  with  the  appetite  :  as  I  be- 
came reconciled  to  it  from  ufe,  I  found  it 
at  all  times  no  unpleafant  morfel,  and,  when 
feafoned  with  hunger,  it  was  quite  delicious  z 
they  render  this  bread  more  palatable  by  ftuffing 
it  with  onions  and  groats,  carrots,  or  green  com, 
and  feafoning  it  with  fweet  oil.  The  other 
articles  of  their  food  I  have  enumerated  on  a 
former  occafion  *  j;  in  addition  to  which  I 
ihall  only  obferve,  that  mufhrooms  are  fo  ex- 
ceedingly common  in  thefe  regions,  as  to  form 
a  very  eflential  part  of  their  provifion,  I  feU 
dom  entered  a  cottage  without  feeing  great 
abundance  of  them ;  and  in  paffing  through 
the  markets,  I  was  often  aftonifhed  at  the 
prodigious  quantity  expofed  for  fale :  their 
variety  was  no  lefs  remarkable  than  their  num- 

*  Vol.  I.  p.  378. 

CL3  ^^r? 


?30       TRAVBLt  INTO   RUSSIA*         »•  4. 

bcr;  they  were  of  many  colours,  amongft 
wJbich  I  particularly  noticed  white,  black, 
trown,  yellow,  g^-een,  and  pink*  The  ccmh- 
mon  drink  of  the  pea;&nts  is  quafs,  a  fer- 
inented  liquor,  fomewhat  like  fweet-wortji 
made  by  pouring  warm  water  on  rye  or  bar- 
ley-meal 5  and  deemed  an  excellent  antifcor- 
butic*  They  are  extremely  fond  of  whifky^^ 
.a  fpirituQUS  liquor  diflilled  from  malt ;  which 
the  poorfft  can  occafionally  command,  ^lad 
which  their  inclination  often  leads  them  to 
wfe  to  great  excefs. 

The  backwardncfs  of  the  Ruffian  peafants 
in  all  die  mechanical  arts,  when  compared 
with  thpfe  of  the  other  nations  of  Europe, 
is  yilible  to  the  moft  fuperficial  obferver. 
As  we  approached,  indeed,  towards  Peterf- 
burgh,  and  nearer  the  civilized  parts  of  Eu- 
rope I  we  could  not  fail  to  remark,  that  th^ 
villagers  were  better  furnifhed  with  the  con-^ 
veniences  of  life,  and  fomewhat  further  ad- 
vanced in  the  knowledge  of  the  neceffary 
arts,  than  thof?  who  fell  under  our  notice  be- 
tween Tolitzin  ^nd  Molcow,  The  planks 
were  lef$  frequently  hewn  with  the  axe ;  and 
6w-pits^  which  we  had  long  confidered  as 
objeds  of  curiofity,  oftener  occurred :  the 
cpttages  were  ippre  fpacipus  and  convenient^j 
?  -  provide^ 


C.   I.     JOURNEY    TO    PETERSBURGH.        23I 

provided  with  larger  windows,  and  generally 
had  chimnies ;  they  were  alfo  more  amply 
ftored  with  houfhold  furniture,  and  with 
wooden,  and  fometimes  even  earthen  utenfils. 
Still,  however,  their  progrefs  towards  civi- 
lization is  very  inconfiderable ;  and  many 
inftances  of  the  groffeft  barbarifm  fell  under 
our  obfervation. 

Thofe  pea^nts  who  furnifh  poft  horfes  are 
called  yamjhicsj  and  enjoy  fome  peculiar  pri- 
vileges. They  are  obliged  to  fupply  all  cou- 
riers and  travellers  at  a  moll  moderate  price, 
in  the  deareft  parts  at  i  \d.  and  in  many  other 
parts  at  \d.  per  verft  *  for  each  horfe  ^  and, 
^  in  compenfation,  they  are  exempted  from  the 
payment  of  the  poll-tax,  and  from  being  en- 
lifted  as  foldiers  :  notwithftanding  thefe  im- 
munities, the  price  they  receive  for  their  horfes 
is  fo  inconfiderable,  that  they  frequently  pro- 
duce them  with  the  greateft  reluctance.  The 
inftant  a  traveller  demands  a  fupply  of  frefli 
horfes,  the  yamfliics  aiTemble  in  crowds,  and 
frequently  wrangle  and  quarrel  to  fuch  a  de- 
gree, as  to  afford  amufemcnt  to  a  perfon  who 
is  not  impatient  to  depart.  Their  fquabbles 
and  dilputes  upon  this  occafion  are  fo  remark-. 

*  Three  quarters  of  a  mile* 

0^4  able. 


232  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.4. 

able,  as  to  have  ftruck  all  travellers  who 
have  given  any  account  of  this  country.  Chan- 
celer,  the  firft  Englifhman  who  landed  at 
Archangel,  and  went  from  thence  to  Mof- 
cow,  could  not  fail  to  obferve  this  circum- 
ftance,  which  equally  prevailed  at  that  period 
as  at  prefent*.     "  Exprefle  commandement 

*  was    given,    that    poft-horfes   fhould  bee 

*  gotten  for  him,  and  the  reft  of  his  com- 

*  pany,  without  any  money.  Which  thing 
^  was,  of  all  the  Ruffes  in  the  reft  of  their 
^  journey,  fo  willingly  done,  that  they  began 

*  to  quarrel,  yea,  and  to  fight  alfo,  in  ftriv- 

*  ing  and  contending  which  of  them  fhould 
'  put  their  poft-horfes  to  the  fledde." 

In  this  defcription,  however,  Chanceler 
has  made  a  ludicrous  miftake ;  for  the  objed: 
of  their  fquabbles  was  not  to  obtain,  but  to 
decline,  the  honour  of  furnifhing  him  with 
horfes.  The  fame  fcene  is  frequently  renew- 
ed at  prefent ;  as  I  have  occafionally  obferved 
that  an  hour's  unremitted  altercation  pro- 
duced no  effeft,  and  that  the  poft-mafter  was 
at  length  obliged  to  compel  the  yamfliics  to 
fettle  the  intricate  conteft  by  drawing  lots. 
Indeed,  as  I  have  before  remarked  -f-,  it  is 

♦  Hackluyt's  Voyages,  Vol.  I.  p.  247.     f  P.  95,  96. 

abfblutely 


C.I.      JOURNEY    TO    PETERSBURGH,        233 

abfolutely  neceffary  for  any  foreigner,  who 
wiflies  to  travel  with  expedition,  not  only  to 
be  provided  with  a  paffport,  but  alfo  to  be 
accompanied  with  a  Ruffian  foldier.  The 
latter,  immediately  upon  his  arrival  at  the 
poft-houfc,  inftead  of  attending  to  the  argu- 
ments of  the  peafants,  or  waiting  for  the  flow 
mediation  of  the  poft-mafter,  fummarily  de- 
cides the  bufincfs  by  the  powerful  interpofition 
of  his  cudgel.  The  boors,  c^x^^y  Jiknced  by 
this  dumb  mode  of  argumentation  *,  find  no  dif- 
ficulty in  adjufting  their  pretenfions,  and  the 
Jhorfes  almoft  inftantly  make  their  appear- 
ance. 

In  our  route  through  Ruffia  I  was  greatly 
furprifed  at  the  propenfity  of  the  natives  to 
finging.  Even  the  peafants  who  adted-  in  the 
capacity  of  coachmen  and  poftilions,  were  no 
fooner  mounted  than  they  began  to  warble  an 
air,  and  continued  it,  without  the  leait  inter- 
miffion,  for  feveral  hours.  But  what  ftill 
more  aftoniflied  me  was,  that  they  performed 
occafionally  in  parts ;  and  I  have  frequently 
obferved  them  engaged  in  a  kind  of  mufica| 
dialogue,  making  reciprocal  queftions  and 
refponfes,  as  if  they  were  chanting  (if  I  may 

♦  Argumentum  baculinum. 

(9 


234         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B,  4. 

fo  exprefs  myfelf)  their  ordinary  converfation. 
The  poftilions  ^;«!^,  as  I  have  juft  obferved, 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  a  ftage ;  the 
foldiersy&a'^  continually  during  their  inarch ; 
the  ccJuntrymen  Jing  during  the  moil  labori- 
ous occupations ;  the  public-houfes  rc-cchp 
with  their  carols ;  and  in  a  ftill  evening  I  have 
frequently  heard  the  air  vibrate  with  the  notes 
from  the  fiirrounding  villages. 

An  ingenious  author*,  long  refident  in 
RuiHa,  and  who  has  turned  his  attention  to 
the  ftudy  of  the  national  mufic,  gives  the 
following  in&rmation  upon  this  curious  fub- 
jedl.  The  general  mufic  that  prevails  among 
the  common  people  in  Ruffia,  from  the  Duna 
to  the  Amoor  and  the  Frozen  Ocean,  confifts 
in  one  fpecies  of  fimple  melody,  which  ad- 
mits of  infinite  variation,  according  to  the 
ability  of  the  finger,  or  the  cufl:om  of  the  fe- 
veral  provinces  in  this  extenfive  empire.  The 
words  of  the  fongs  are  mofl:ly  in  profe,  and 
often  extempore,  according  to  the  immediate 
invention  or  recoUedion  of  the  finger  ^  per- 
haps an  ancient  legend ;  the  hiftory  of  an  enor- 
mous giant  5  a  declaration  of  love ;  a  dialogue 

♦  Staehlin.  See  his  Nachrickhtcn  von  der  Mufik  in 
Rufsland,  in  Haygold's  Beylagen,  Vol.  11.  .p.  60  to  65  j 
where  fpecimens  of  this  air  ar^  given. 

between 


C.  I.      JOURNEY    TO    PETERSBURGM,        t^S 

between  a  lover  and  his  miftrefs ;  a  murder ; 
or  the  defcription  of  a  beautiful  girl :  fome- 
times  they  are  merely  letters  and  fyUables 
taken  from  fome  old  accidence,  metrically 
arranged,  but  feldom  in  rhyme,  and  adapted 
to  this  general  air.  Tbefe  latter  words  are 
chiefly  ufed  by  mothers  in  finging  to  their 
children ;  while  the  boors,  at  the  fame  time, 
perform  their  national  dance  to  the  fame 
tune,  accompanied  with  inft rumen tal  mufic^ 
I  have  been  alfo  informed,  that  the  fubjeft 
of  the  fong  frequently  alludes  to  the  former 
adventures  of  the  finger,  or  to  his  prefent 
fituation;  and  that  the  peafants  adapt  the 
.  topics  of  their  common  difcourfe,  and  their 
difputes  with  each  other,  to  this  general  air  : 
which,  altogether,  forms  an  extraordinary  ef- 
fcd: ;  and  led  me  to  conjefture,  as  I  have  be- 
fore exprefled  myfelf,  that  they  chanted  theii^ 
prdxnary  converfation. 


CHAP. 


236         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  4% 


CHAP.    II. 

No  vogorod .  -  ^Its  antiquity,  power,  grandeur,  in^ 
dependence y  decline y  Juhjeiiiony  and  downfaL — 
Itsprefentjiate. — Cathedral  of  ^X.  Sophia. — 
lEarly  introduction  of  painting  into  Ruflia. — 
Frice  ofprovifions  at  Novogorod. — Incidents 
of  the  Journey  to  Peterfburgh. 

AT  Bronitza  we  crofled  the  Mafia  upon 
a  raft  compofed  of  feven  or  eight  trees 
rudely  joined  together,  and  which  fcarcely 
afforded  room  for  the  carriage  and  two  horfes. 
We  then  continued  our  route,  through  a  level 
country,  to  the  banks  of  the  Volkovetz,  or 
little  Volkof,  which  we  pafTed  in  a  ferry; 
and,  after  mounting  a  gentle  rife,  defcendcd 
into  the  open  marfhy  plain  of  paflure,  which 
reaches,  without  interruption,  to  the  walls  of 
Novogorod  :  that  place,  at  a  fmall  diflance, 
exhibited  a  mofl  magnificent  appearance ;  and, 
if  we  might  judge  from  the  great  number  of 
churches  and  convents,  which  on  every  fide 
prefented  themfelves  to  our  view,  announced 
our  approach  to  a  confiderable  city ;  but  upon 
our   entrance   our  cxpe<3:ations  were  by  no 

means  realized. 

'  No 


C.  ,2.  NOVOGOROD.  237 

No  place  ever  filled  me  with  more  melan- 
choly ideas  of  fallen  grandeur,  than  the  town 
of  Novogorod.     It  is  one  of  the  moft  ancient 
cities  in  Rnffia ;  and  was  formerly  called  Great 
Novogorod,  to  diftinguifli  it  from  other  Ruf- 
fian towns  of  a  fimilar  appellation  *•    Neftor, 
the  earlieft  of  the  Ruffian  hiftorians,  informs 
us  that  it  was  built  at  the  fame  time  with 
Kiof,  in  the  middle  of  the  fifth  century,  by 
a  Sclavonian  horde,  who,  according  to  Pro- 
copius,  iflued  from  the  banks  of  the  Volga. 
Its  antiquity  is  clearly  proved  by  a  paffage  in 
the  Gothic  hiftorian,  Jornandes ;  in  which  it 
Is  called  Civitas   Nova,   or   New  Town  •f'. 
We  have  little  infight  into  its  hiftory  before 
the  ninth  century,  when  Ruric,  the  firft  great- 
duke  of  Ruffia,  reduced  it,  and  made  it  the 
metropolis  of  his  vaft  dominions.     The  year 
fubfequent  to  his  death,  which  happened  in 
879,  the  feat  of  government  was  removed, 
under  his  fon  Igor  then  an  infant,  to  Kiof; 
and  Novogorod  continued,  for  above  a  cen- 
tury, under  the  jurifdi(Sion  of  governors  no- 

•  Nifhnei  Novogorod,  and  Novogorod  Severfkoi. 

t  Sclavini  a  Civitate  Nova  et  Sclavino  Rumunenfe,  et 
lacu  qui  appellatur  Muiianus,  &c.  The  lake  is  the  Ilmen  ; 
and  the  Civitas  Nova,  Novogorod.    S.  R.  G.  Vol.  V, 

P.-383- 

J  minatcd 


238         TRAVELS    INTO    RtTSSIA.        ».  4^ 

minated  by  the  great-dukea.  At  length,  in 
970,  Svatoflaf,  the  ion  of  Igor,  created  his 
third  fon  Vladimk  duke  of  Novogorod  :  the 
latter,  iuccecding  His  father  in  the  throne  o£ 
Ruffia,  ceded  the  town  to  his  fon  Yaroilaf ; 
who,  in  1036,  granted  to  the  inhabitants  very 
coniiderable  privileges,  that  laid  the  foundation 
of  that  extraordinary  degree  of  liberty  which 
they  afterwards  gradually  obtained.  From 
this  period  Novogorod  was  for  a  long  time 
governed  by  its  own  dukes  :  thefe  fovereigns 
were  at  firft  fubordinate  to  the  great-dukes, 
who  refided  at  Kiof  and  Volodimir ;  but  after- 
wards, as  the  town  increafed  in  population 
and  wealth,  they  gradually  ufurped  an  abfo^ 
lute  independency*. 

But  while  they  thus  fhook  ojfF  the  yoke  of 
a  diftant  lord,  they  were  unable  to  maintairt 
dieir  authority  over  their  own  fubjefts.  A^ 
though  the  fucceflion  continued  in  the  jfemc 
femily ;  yet,  as  the  dukes  were  eledred  by  the 
inhabitants,  they  gradually  bartered  away,  as 
the  price  of  their  nomination,  all  their  moft 
valuable  prerogatives.  They  were  alfo  Co 
frequently  depofed,  that,  for  near  two  centu- 
ries, the  lift  of  the  dukes  refembles  more  a? 

•  S.  R.  G.  Vol.  V.  p,  397. 

calendar 


C-  2.  N    O    V    O    G    O    R    O    I>.  239 

calendar  of  annual  magifh-ates,  than  a  regular 
Kne  of  hereditary  princes  :  and,  in  eifed:.  No- 
vogorod  was  a  republic  under  the  jurifdidiion 
of  a  nominal  fovereign.  The  privileges  en- 
joyed by  the  inhabitants,  however  unfavour- 
able to  the  power  of  the  dukes,  proved  ex- 
tremely beneficial  to  the  real  interefts  of  the 
town :  it  became  the  great  mart  of  trade  be- 
tween Ruffia  and  the  Hanfeatic  cities ;  and 
made  the  moft  rapid  advances  in  opulence 
and  population.  At  this  period  its  dominions 
were  fo  extenfive  *,  its  power  fo  great,  and  its 
iituation  fo  impregnable,  as  to  give  rife  to  a 
proverb,  ^is  contra  Deos.et  Magnam  Novogar-- 
diam  f  **  Who  can  refift  the  Gods  and  Great 
^  Novogorod  ?" 

It  continued  in  this  flourifhing  ftate  until 
the  middle  of  the  15th  century,,  when  the 
great-dukes  of  Ruffia,  whofe  anceftors  had 
reigned  over  this  town,  and  who  ftill  retained  * 
the  title  of  dukes  of  Novogorod,  having  tranf- 
ferred  their  refidence  from  Kiof  to  Volodimir, 
and  afterwards  to  Mofcow^  laid  claim  to  its 
feudal  fovereign ty ; '  a  demand  which  the  in- 

*  Its  territory  extended  to  the  north  as  far  as  the  fron- 
tiers of  Livonia  and  Finland,  and  comprifed  great  part  of 
the  province  of  Archangel,  and  a  large  diftrid:  beyond 
the  north- weftern  limits  of  Siberia^ 

habitants 


n 


240         TRAVELS    INTO    ftUSSIA.        B.4. 

• 

habitants  fometimes  evaded  by  compofition^ 
ibmetimes  by  refiftance,  but  were  fometimes 
compelled   to   acknowledge.     At   length,  in 
1 47 1,  Ivan  Vaflilievitch  I.  having  fecured  his 
dominions  againft  the  inroads  of  the  Tartars, 
and  having  extended  his  empire  by  the  con- 
queft  of  the  neighbouring  principalities^  ven- 
tured to   aflert  his  right  to  the  fovereignty 
of  Novogorod;  and  enforced  his  pretenfions 
by  a  formidable  army:    he   vanquifhed  the 
troops  of  the  republic  oppofed  to  him  in  the 
field ;  and,  having  forced  the  citizens  to  ac- 
knowledge his  claims,  appointed  a  governor, 
who  was  permitted  to  refide  in  the  town,  and 
to  exercife  the  authority  formerly  vefted  in 
their  own  dukes*.     This   power,  however, 
being  exceedingly  limited,  l^ft  them  in  the 
entire  pofleflion  of  their  moft  valuable  im- 
munities :    they  retained    their    own   laws ; 
chofe  their  own  magiftrates ;  and  the  governor 
never  interfered  in  public  affairs,  except  by 
appeal. 

Ivan  however,  by  no  means  contented  with 
this  limited  fpecies  of  government,  watched 

♦  Its  government  was  fimilar  to  that  of  the  German  re- 
publics, who  acknowledge  die  emperor  as  their  liege- 
lord,  but  are  under  tlie  jurifdiflion  of  their  own  magif- 
trates, 

a  favour- 


^ 


C.2^  N   O  V   O   G   0   R   0   D.  24I 

a  favourable  opportunity  of  extending  his  au- 
thority ;  and,  as  a  pretence  is  never  wanting 
to  a  powerful  aggreflbr,  he,  in  147/5  laid 
fiege  to  the  town.  His  defigns  being  abetted 
by  the  internal  feuds  and  diflcntions  which 
had  l6ng  prevailed  in  this  independent  repub- 
lic ;  the  inhabitants  were  conftrained  to  fub- 
fcribe  to  all  the  conditions  impofed  by  the 
haughty  conqueror.  The  gates  were  thrown 
open ;  the  great-duke  entered  the  place  in  the 
character  of  fovereign ;  and  the  whole  body 
of  people,  tendering  the  oath  of  allegiance, 
delivered  into  his  hands  the  charter  of  their 
Kberties,  which  unanimity  would  ftill  have 
preferved  inviolate.  One  circumftance,  re- 
Corded  by  hiftorians  as  a  proof  of  the  uncon- 
ditional fubjedtion  of  the  town,  was  the  re- 
moval of  an  enormous  bell  from  Novogorod 
to  Mofcow,  denominated  by  the  inhabitants 
eternal^  and  revered  as  the  palladium  of  their 
liberty  and  the  fymbol  of  their  privileges. 
It  was  fufpended  in  the  market-place;  its 
fecred  found  drew  the  people  inftantly  from 
the  moft  remote  parts,  and  tolled  the  figna^ 
of  foreign  danger  or  inteftine  tumult.  The 
great-duke  peremptorily  demanded  this  ob- 
jed  of  public  veneration,  which  he  called 
**  T^he  larum  of /edition  ;'*  and  the  inhabitants 
Vol,  II.  R  confidered 


24^  TRAVELS    INTO   RUSSIA.       B;  4^ 

confidered  its  furrender  as  the  fure  prelude  of 
departing  liberty*. 

From  this  period  the  great-duke  became 
in  efFeA  abfolute  fovereign  of  Novogorod,  al- 
though the  oftenfible  forms  of  its  government 
were  ftill  preferved :  in  order  to  enfure  the 
obedience  of  his  new  fubjefts,  he  tranfplanted 
at  once  above  a  thoufand  of  the  principal  citi- 
zens to  Mofcow  and  other  towns ;  and  fecured 
the  Kremlin,  in  which  he  generally  refided 
when  he  came  to  Novogorod,  with  ftrong 
walls  of  brick.  Notwithftanding  the  defpo- 
tifm  to  which  the  inhabitants  were  fubjedt, 
and  the  oppreflion  which  they  experienced 
from  Ivan  and  his  fucceifors ;  yet  Novogorod 
llill  continued  the  largeft  and  moft  com- 
mercial city  in  all  Ruflia,  as  will  evidently 
appear  from  the  following  defcription  of 
Richard  Chancelcr,  who  pafled  through  it 
in  1554  in  his  way  to  Mofcow.  "Next 
**  unto  Mofcow,  the  city  of  Novogprode  is 
**  reputed  the  chiefeft  of  Ruflia ;  for  although 

*  "  Devenue  fujette,"  lays  L*Eveique  with  great  ipirit, 
**  elle  va  chaqac  jour  perdre  de  fon  domaine,  de  fa  popu- 
**  lation,  de  fon  commerce,  des  fes  richeflies,  &,  dans  moins 
^*  d'un  fiecle,  a  peine  fera-t-elle  une  ville  knportante  :  tant 
*'  le  fbuffle  du  pouvoir  arbitraire  eft  brulant  &  deftrudeur.'* 
Hiftoire  de  RuiEe,  Tom,  II.  p.  327* 

"  it 


t*  2*  N    O    V    6    G    O    R    O    D«  243 

**  it  be  in  majeftie  inferior  to  it,  yet  in  great- 
**  neffe  it  goeth  beyond  it.  It  is  the  chief- 
*'  eft  and  greateft  marte  towne  of  all  Mofco- 
**  vie ;  and  albeit  the  emperor's  feate  is  not 
**  there,  but  at  Mofco,  yet  the  commodi- 
**  oufiiefle  of  the  river,  falling  into  that  gulfe 
*/  which  is  called  Sinus  Finnicus,  whereby  it 
•*  is  well  frequented  by  merchants,  makes  it 
**  more  famous  than  Mofco  itfelf  ^4'' 

An  idea  of  its  populoufnefs,  during  this 
period,  when  compared  with  its  prefent  de- 
clined ftate,  is  manifeft  from  the  fad: ;  that  in 
1 508  above  1 5,000  perfons  died  of  an  epide- 
mical diforder-f;  more  than  double  th^ 
number  of  its  prefent  inhabitants.  In  its 
moft  flourifliing  condition  it  contained  at 
leaft  400,000  fouls  J  •  Under  the  reign  of 
Ivan  Vaflilievitch  II.  the  profperity  of  Novo- 
gorod  experienced  a  moft  fatal  downfal, 
from  which  it  never  recovered  :  that  monarch 
having,  in  1570,  difcovered  a  fecret  corre- 
fpondence  between  fome  of  the  principal  in- 
habitants and  Sigifinond  Auguftus  king  of  Po-? 
land,  relative  to  a  furrender  of  the  city  into 

*  Hackluyt,  vol.  I.  p»  251. 
+  S.  R.  G.  vol.  V.  p.  494. 
t  It  now  contains  fcarcely  7000* 

R  2  his 


244        T»  AVELI    rNT€r  RUrsiA.        B.  Jf^ 

his  hands,  inflidled  the  moft  exemplary  and 
inhuman-  vengeance  upon  them.  He  re- 
paired in  perfon  to  Novogorod ;  and  appointed 
a  court  of  inquiry >  juftly  denominated  the 
tribunal  of  bloods  Contemporary  hiftorians^ 
relate  that  its  proceedings  continued  during 
the  fpace  of  five  v^eeks;  and  that  on  cacb 
day  of  this  fatal  period  more  than  500  inha- 
bitants fell  vi<3ims  to  the  vengeance  of  incenf- 
cd  defpotifm.  According  to  fome  authorSjr 
25,000,  according  to  others,  more  than  30,00a 
perfons  perifhed  in  this  dreadful  carnage* 
Thofb  writers,  who  were  the  tzar's  enemies^ 
have  probably  exaggerated  the  number  of 
thefe  executions ;  and  it  is  but  juftice  to  add^ 
lliat  ibme  circumftances  in  their  relations  are 
proved  to  be  unqueftionably  felfe :  but  tihougk 
we  ought  not  to  give  implicit  credit  to  all  the 
accounts  recorded  by  his  adversaries  j  y^f,. 
even  by  the  confefiion  of  his  apologifts,  there 
ftill  remains  fufficicnt  evidence  of  his  j&vage: 
ferocity  in  this  barbarous  tranfaftion  i  which 
cquak,  if  not  fbrpafles,  in  cruelty,  die  maflaere 
at  Stockholm  under  ChriiKan  11. 

This  horrid  cataftrophe  and  the  fiibfequene 
oppreffions  which  the  town  experienced  front 
tiiat  great  though  fanguinary  prince,  fo  im- 
faired  its  flxengthi  that  it  is  defcribed  as  x 

place 


r 


C  2.  N   O   V  t)   i?   t)   R    O  ©•  245 

place  of  ruin  and  defolation  by  Uhlfield,  the 
Danifh  embaflador,  who  foon  afterwards  pafled 
through  it.  But  although  the  fplendour  of 
this  once  flourifhing  town  received  a  very 
confiderable  diminution ;  yet  it  was  not  totally 
obfcured  until  the  foundation  of  Peterfburgh, 
to  which  favourite  capital  Peter  the  Great 
transferred  all  the  commerce  of  the  Baltic, 
that  before  centered  in  Novogorod^ 

The  prefent  town  is  furrounded  by  a  ram- 
part of  earth,  with  a  range  of  old  towers  at 
regular  dillances,  forming  a  circumference  of 
fcarcely  a  mile  and  an  half;  and  even  this 
inconiiderable  circle  includes  much  open  ipace, 
and  many  houfes  which  are  not  inhabited. 
As  Novogorod  was  built  after  the  manner  of 
die  antient  towns  of  this  country,  in  the  Afia- 
tic  ftyle ;  this  rampart,  like  that  of  the  Sem- 
lainogorod  at  Mofcow,  probably  enclofed  fe- 
veral  interior  circles  :  without  it  was  a  vafl: 
extenfive  fuburb,  which  reached  to  the  diftance 
of  fix  miles,  and  included  within  its  circuit 
all  the  convents  and  churches,  the  antient 
ducal  palace  and  other  ftrudtures  1  that  now 
make  a  fplendid,  but  folitary  appearance,  as 
they  lie  Scattered  in  the  adjacent  plain, 

Novogorod  ftretches  on  both  fides  of  the 
Volkof,    a   beautiful    river    of  confiderable 

R  3  depth 


246  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA*        B.  4; 

depth  and  rapidity,  and  fomewhat  broader 
than  the  Thames,  at  Windfor.  This  river 
feparates  the  town  into  two  divifions ;  the 
Trading  Part,  and  the  Quarter  of  St.  Sophia, 
which  are  united  by  means  of  a  bridge,  partly- 
wooden  and  partly  brick. 

The  firft  divifion,  or  the  Trading  Part,  is, 
excepting  the  governor's  houfe,  only  a  rude 
clufter  of  wooden  habitations,  and  in  no  othi&r 
refped  diftinguiflicd  from  the  common  viU 
lages  than  by  a  vaft  number  of  brick  churches 
and  convents,  which  ftand  melancholy  mo- 
numents of  its  former  magnificence.  In  all 
parts  I  was  ftruek  with  thefe  remains  of  ru- 
ined grandeur;  while  half-cultivated  fields 
cnclofed  within  high  palifadoes,  and  large 
fpaces  covered  with  nettles,  attefted  its  prefent 
defolate  condition.  Towards  its  extremity  a 
brick  edifice,  and  feveral  detached  ftrudtuips 
of  the  fame  materials,  erected  at  the  em- 
prefs's  expence,  for  a  manufa<flure  of  ropes 
and  fails,  exhibited  a  moft  Iplendid  figure 
when  contrafted  with  the  furrounding  wooden, 
hovels  in  the  town. 

The  opppfite  divifion,  denominated  the 
Quarter  of  St.  Sophia,  derives  its  appellation 
from  the  cathedral  of  that  name ;  and  com- 
prehends the  fortrefs  or  Kremlin,  ereded  for 

3  the 


C.  2.  N    O   V    O    G    O    R    O    D.  247 

the  purpofe  of  curbing  the  inhabitants,  and 
of  preventing  the  frequent  infurreftions  occa- 
fiSSned  by  the  rifing  fpirit  of  opprefled  liberty. 
It  is  of  an  irregularly  oval  form,  and  furround- 
ed  by  an  high  brick  v^ll,  ftrengthened  with 
round  and  fquare  towers :  the  wall  is  fimilar 
to  that  which  enclofes  the  Kremlin  at  Mof- 
cow;  and  was  built  in  1490  by  the  Italian 
architeift  Solarius  of  Milan,  at  the  order  of 
Ivan  Vaflilievitch  I.  foon  after  his  conqueft 
of  Novogorod.  The  fortrefs  contains  'the 
cathedral  of  St.  Sophia ;  the  old  archiepifcopal 
manfion  with  its  ftair-cafe  on  the  outfide; 
part  of  a  new  palace  which  was  not  yet  ii- 
nifhed ;  a  few  other  brick  buildings ;  but  the 
remaining  fpace  is  a  wrafte,  overfpread  with 
weeds  and  nettjes>  and  covered  with  ruins. 

The  cathedral  of  St.  Sophia  is  probably 
one  of  the  moft  antient  churches  in  Ruflia : 
it  was  begun  in  1044  '^y  VIodimir  Yarofla- 
vitch  duke  of  Novogorod,  and  completed 
jn  1051  *.  It  was  probably  conftrufted  foon 
after  Cbriftianity  was  firft  introduced  into 
Jluffia  by  the  Greeks,  and  was  called  St,  Sot 

*  S.  R.  G.  vol.  V.  p.  398.  A  wooden  church  of  the 
feme  name  had  been  firft  conftrufted  about  the  year  loocat 
by  Joachim,  the  firft  bifliop  «f  Novogorod,  on  the  fpot 
wl^ere  this  cathedral  now  ftands.    Ibid.  p.  394. 

R  4  phia| 


24$         TRAVELS    INTO   RUS'^IA.       B.  4. 

phia^  fr<Hn  the  church  of  that  name  in  Co»^ 
ilantinople.  It  is  a  high  %iare  huildir^ 
with  a  gilded  cupola,  and  four  tin  do£4|fc« 
We  entered  this  venerable  pile  through  a  paif 
of  brazen  gates^  ornamented  with  various 
figures  in  alto  relievo,  reprefenting  the  Paf- 
fion  of  our  Saviour,  and  other  fcriptural  hifto- 
ries.  The  prieft  informed  me,  that,  accwdr 
ing  to  tradition,  thefe  gates  of  brafe  p^s^ 
brought  from  the  antient  town  of  Cherfon, 
where  Vlodimir  the  Great  was  baptized,  and 
are  fuppofed  to  be  of  Grecian  workmajofliip  s 
they  are  in  confequence  of  this  perfuafi(M| 
called  Kprfunfkie  Dveri,  the  doors  of  Cherfon^ 
But  if  we  admit  the  truth  of  this  tradition,^ 
how  fhall  we  account  for  the  following  Latin 
chaxaders,  which  J  obferved  upon  them  ? 

p.  e.  WICMANNVS  MEGIDEBVRGENSIS 
ALEXANDER  epe  DEBLVCICJI. 
AVJ  MARIA  GPACIA  PLEHS  DHS  "EECVGI, 

The  firft  part  of  this  infcription  feems  to 
jwove  rather,  that  th^  cajne  from  Mag- 
deburgh  in  Germany ;  a  circumflance  by  no 
means  improbable,  as  the  inhabitants  of  No- 
yogorod,  through  their  comqieccdal  connect 
Itians,  n^aintaine4,  even  in  thofe  earfy  times, 
JQ  a  nQ 


C.  2,  N    O   V  O    G  O   R  O   D.  44.9 

»  HO  lejfs  fr^uent  intercourfe  with  Germany 
thaa  with  Greece. 

In  the  infide  of  this  cathedral  are  twelve 
raafly  pillars  white-wafhed,  which,  as  well 
as  the  walls,  are  thickly  covered  with  the  re* 
prefentations  of  our  Saviour,  the  Virgin  Maiy» 
and  of  various  faints.  Some  of  thefe  paint* 
ings  are  of  very  high  antiquity,  and  probably 
antmor  to  the  revival  of  the  art  in  Italy* 
The  following  reafons  induce  me  to  adopt 
jhis  opinion.  Many  of  thefe  figures  are  fi^ 
niflied  in  a  hard  fiat  ftyle  of  colouring  upon  % 
gold  ground^  and  exadly  fimilar  to  thofe  of 
the  Greek  artifts,  by  whom,  according  to 
Vafari,  painting  was  firft  introduced  into  I^ly 
in  the  following  manner. 

Towards  the  latter  end  of  the  1 3  th  century, 
fome  Greek  artifts  were  invited  to  Florence  to 
paint  a  chapel  in  the  church  of  Santa  Maria 
Novella  in  that  city.  Although  their  defign 
and  colouring  were  very  hard  and  fiat ^  and 
they  chiefly  reprefented  the  figures  on  a  field 
of  gold  \  yet  their  produdions  were  much  ad- 
mired in  that  ignorant  century.  Cimabue, 
who  was  then  a  boy,  was  fo  ftruck  with  their 
performance ;  that  he  was  accuftomed  to  pafs 
{ill  the  time  he  could  fteal  from  fchool  in  con- 
templating the  progrefs  of  their  work.     His 

cnthufiafm 


2^0^         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        8.4^ 

cnthufiafm  being  thus  kindled,  he  turned  his 

whole  attention  to  the  ftudy  of  an   art   to 

which   his   natural  genius   feemed  inclined • 

His  firft  compofitions  had  all  the  defefts  of  the 

mailers  whom  he  imitated ;  but  he  gradually 

improved  as  he  advanced  i  and  laid  the  firft  rude 

foundation  of  that  aftoniftiing  excellence  which 

the  fchools  of  Italy  afterwards  attained. 

As  painting  was  thus  brought  into  Italy 

firom  the    Greek  empire,    when  there  was 

fcarcely  any   connexion  between  thofe   two 

countries,  we  may  be  well  aflured  that  it  was 

introduced  at  a  more  early  period  into  Ruffia^ 
from  the  J&me  quarter ;  not  only  becaufe  a 

conftant  intercourfe  had  been  long  maintained 
between  the  great-dukes  and  the  emperors  of 
Conftantinople ;  and  becaufe  the  patriarch  of 
that  city  was  formerly  the  head  of  the  church 
cftabliihed  in  Ruffia ;  but  likewife  becaufe  the 
RufSans,  being  converted  to  Chriftianity  by 
the  Greeks,  were  accuftomed,  after  their  ex- 
ample, to  decorate  their  temples  with  various 
figures ;  and  muft  have  received  from  them 
many  portraits  of  faints,  which  form  in  their 
religion  a  neceflary  part  of  divine  worfhip* 
We  may  conclude,  therefore,  that  the  cathe- 
dral of  St.  Sophia,  which  was  built  in  the  11  th 
century,  and  is  one  of  the  moft  antient  church-^ 


C.i.  M    O   V    O    G    O    R    O    D,  25I 

es  of  Ruffia^  was  ncceflarily  ornamented  with 
the  figures  of  faints  by  fome  Greek  artiils, 
whom  the  great-dukes  of  Novogorod  drew 
from  Conftantinople.  The  reprefentations  in 
queftion,  indeed,  are  fuch  mere  daubings,  as 
not  to  have  deferved  a  particular  inquiry,  if 
they  had  not  affifted  in  illuftrating  the  progreis 
of  the  liberal  arts  ^  and  in  afcertaining  the 
early  introduftion  of  painting  into  this  coun- 
try, at  a  period  when  it  was  probably  un- 
known even  in  Italy  *• 

Several  princes  of  the  ducal  family  of  Ruflia 
are  interred  in  this  cathedral.  The  firft  is  Vlo- 
dimir  Yaroflavitch,  who  was  bom  in  - 1 020, 
died  in  105 1  -f,  and  was  buried  in  this  church, 
which  he  himfelf  had  founded,  and  juft  lived 
to  fee  completed.  Befide  his  tomb,  are  thoie 
of  his  mother  Anne,  daughter  of  the  eaftem 
emperor  Romanus ;  his  wife  Alexandra ;  his 
bfother  Mlcfliflaf ;  and^  laftly,  of  Feodor,  bro- 
ther of  Alexander  Nevlki,  who  died  ia  1228. 
The  moft  antient  of  thefe  fepulchres  are  of 
carved  wood  gilt  and  filvered,  and  furrounded 
with  iron  rails ;  the  others  are  of  brick  and 

*  Jam  diu  pingunt  Rutheni,  et   quis  credat  i  feculo 
^uodecimoy  (ays  Falconi**— See  Eilai  fur  la  Bib.  &c«  Pv  19^ 

f  S.  K.  G.  vo}.  V.  p.  399, 

mortar. 


i^t         TRAVELS   INTO    RUSSIA^        B.  4. 

mortar*  Within  the  fanduary  the  walls  are 
covered  with  Mofaic  compartments,  of  coarfe 
workmanfhip,  but  curious  as  being  very 
antient* 

Our  landlord  was  a  German ;  and  his  inn, 
though  fmall,  was  one  of  the  moft  commo- 
dious we  had  hitherto  met  with  in  Rufiia :  it 
was  neatly  furnifhed,  and  afforded  us  beds,  an 
article  of  fingular  luxury  in  this  country, 
which  we  had  no  fmall  difficulty  to  procure 
even  in  the  city  of  Mofcow. 

By  the  affiftance  of  our  landlord  we  obtained 
the  following  lift  of  the  price  of  provifions  in 
thefe  parts  ^ 


s* 

d.       X.,  d. 

Butdier's  meat  per  Rufllan  pound  ♦ 

- 

If  to  0     1 

BUck  bread  per  ditto 

- 

- 

- 

-f 

White  common  ditto 

-i 

- 

I 

French  ditto 

• 

- 

• 

at 

Better  ditto 

■* 

- 

- 

4 

Ten  eggs  from 

- 

- 

- 

i|  to  0    5 

Pair  of  fowls  from 

- 

— 

I 

3    to  I     S 

Fatted  goofe 

- 

- 

I 

- 

Couple  of  wild  ducks 

- 

-> 

6 

Tame  ditto 

- 

* 

I 

3 

'Brace  of  pry  ridges 

T 

m 

- 

10 

Black  game,  cock  and  hen 

- 

I 

6 

Hare 

• 

•■ 

- 

7l 

Quart  of  milk 

tm 

- 

f 

If 

Beft  (pirituous  liquors 

per  quart 

I 

5f 

f  A  Rufnan  pound  ss 

Hz  Engliih  ounces. 

/ 

Worll 

-  V 


C.  2^  N   O  7  0   G   «   R   O   0.  2^$ 

s.    J*. 

Worftfort 8i 

Pair  of  peafan^^  leather  fhoes  -13 
Boots  -  -  -  -  -  4  10 
Round  hat  -  -  -  -  *  S 
Peafent's  fliirt,  no  coDar  or  wrift- 1  ^  ^ 
band,  and  very  flxort     -     -     i 

Our  coach  was   fo  Shattered  by  the  bad 
roads ;  that  wc  left  it  at  Novogorod  ^  and 
continued  our  journey  in  the  common  car- 
riages of  the  country^  called  kibitkas.     A  ki-^ 
bitka  is  a  fmall  cart,  capable  of  containing; 
two  perfons  abreaft,  while  the  driver  fits  upon 
the  further  extremity  clofe  tethehorfes'  tails. 
It  is  about  five  feet  in  length,  and  the  hinder 
half  is  covered  with  a  femicircular  tilt,  open 
in  front  like  the  top  of  a  cradle,  made  of  laths 
interwoven  and  covered  with  birch  or  beech- 
bark.     There  is  not  a  piece  of  iron  in  the 
whole  machine.     It  has  no  fprings,  and  is 
fafl:ened  by  means  of  wooden  pins,  ropes,  and 
flicks,  to  the  body  of  the   carriage.     The 
Ruflians,  when  they  travel  in  thefe  kibitkas^ 
place  a  feather-bed  in  the  bottom,  admirably 
calculated  to  break  the  intolerable  jolts  and 
concuflions,  occafioned  by  the  uneven  timber 
roads.   With  thi«  precaution  a  kiUtka^  though 
inferior  in  fplendour,  equals  in  comfort  the 

moft 


a54         TRAVELS   INTO   RUSSIA*       8^44:, 

moft    commodious    vehicle.     The    traveller 
ftretches  himfelf  at  his  leilgth  apoil  the  jfei- 
ther-bed,  irnd,  if  inclined,  may  dofe  away  the 
journey  in  perfeft  tranquillity.      But  being 
novice^  as  to  the  beft  method  of  equipping 
this  fpecies  of  conveyance,  we  fuflered  a  layer 
of  trunks  and  other  hard  baggage  to  be  fub- 
ilituted  in  the  place  of  feather-beds :  thefe 
fubftances,  fo  much  more  bulky,  and  fo  much 
fcfs  yielding  than  down,  obliged  us  either  to  fit 
under  the  tilt  in  a  floping  pofture,  or  upon  the 
narrow  edge  of  the  carriage ;  in  the  alternate 
enjoynient  of  which  deledlable  pofitions,  we 
pafled  twelve  hours  without  intermiffion,  and 
with  no  refrefhment.  Thofc  who  have  ever  re- 
galed themielves  amidft  a  pile  of  loofe  trunks 
and  boxes  in  the  bafket  of  a  heavy-laden  ftage 
coach,  over  the  rougheft   pavement,  would 
cfteem  that  mode  of  conveyance  luxury   to 
what  we  experienced.     Our  impatience,  how- 
ever, to  reach  Peterfburgh  beguiled  in  fome 
meafure  the  bruifes  we  received    from   our 
kibitkas  and  their  contents;  and  induced  uS 
to  perfevere  in  our  route  till  after  ten  at  night ; 
when,  upon  our  being  depofited  in  a  fmall 
village,  I  had  fcarcely  ftrength  remaining  to 
crawl  to  fome  frefh  ftraw  fpread  for  our  beds 
in  the  corner  of  an  unfurnilhed  inn :  with  the 

comforts 


C.  2*  N    O   V   0    G    O   R    O    D.  t^g 

comforts  of  this  delightful  place  of  repc^ 
I  was  fo  enamoured  5  that  I  could  not  be  pre- 
vailed upon  to  relinquifh  it  even  for  a  £qw 
minutes,  for  the  enjoyment  of  an  excellent 
ragout  prepared  by  our  iervant;  and  which 
a  conftant  failing  fince  nine  in  the  njorning 
fended  greatly  to  recommend* 

A  tolerable  night's  reft,  and  tl\e  profpedt  of 
only  fifty  miles  between  us  and  Peterfturgh^ 
induced  us  to  reaflume  our  former  ftations, 
and  to  brave  a  repetition,  of  our  fatigue. 

The  country  we  paffed  through  was  ill 
calculated  to  alleviate  our  fuflferings,  by  tranf- 
ferring  our  attention  from  ourfelves  to  the 
objedls  around  us.  Excepting  the  environs 
of  Novogorod,  which  were  tolerably  open^ 
the  road  made  of  timber,  as  defcribed  on  a 
former  occafion,  and  as  ftraight  as  an  arrow, 
ran  through  a  perpetual  foreft,  without  the 
leaft  intermixture  of  hill  or  dale,  and  with 
but  few  flips  of  cultivated  ground.  Through 
the  dreary  extent  of  1 1  o  miles,  the  gloomy 
uniformity  of  the  foreft  was  only  broken  by  a 
few  folitary  villages  at  long  diftances  from 
each  other,  without  the  intervention  of  a 
fingle  houfe.  Itchora,  the  laft  village  at 
which  we  changed  horfes,  though  but  20 
miles  from  the  capital,  was  fmall  and  wretch- 
"  ed; 


■♦-   -^ 


156         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  Jfj, 

ed  ^  and  the  adjacent  country  as  inhofpitabie 
and  unpeopled  as  that  we  had  ahready  paiTed. 
About  ten  miks  from  Itchora  we  iuddoily 
turned  to  the  right ;  and  the  fcene  inilantly 
brightened :  the  woods  gave  way  to  cul-^ 
(ivation  ;  the  country  began  to  be  enKvcned 
with  houies ;  the  inequalities  of  the  timber 
road  were  fucceeded  by  the  level  of  a  fplcious 
caufeway  equal  to  the  fineft  turnpikes  of 
England ;  the  end  of  each  verft  *  was  marked 
with  fuperb  mile-ftones  of  granite  and  nM^ 
ble  ^  and  a  long  avenue  of  trees  was  clo^  at 
the  diftance  of  a  few  miles  with  a  view  of 
Peterlburgh,  the  objedt  of  our  vriihes^  and 
the  termination  of  our  kbours« 

*  Throu^ut  all  the  high  roads  of  Ruffia,  each  v^ 
(or  three  quarters  of  a  mile)  is  marked  by  a  wooden  poft> 
about  twelve  feet  in  height^  painted  red. 


CHAP. 


tarn 


^ss 


» _ .   1 


/ 


\      - 


I 


Tiai&e6iiSai::Simfi 


«  *» 


C.  3^  '  ?  ?  T  E  R  S  ?  ^  R  6  H.  2S.7 


C  H  A  ?,    W' 

"Jiffijfication  of^tb^x  the  Great j^r  transferrm^ 
th^  fiat  of  empire  fron^^  Mo^cqiw  /(?  S^.  Pe- 
-lerftuf^gh. — jy^cripttop,  of  the  new  mt^o^, 
polls. — ItsJoMndfltipn  mi  pn^efs  .—^(^trQi^a^ 
ference  and  population.- — Inundations  of  th^ 
'i>ity^^.j-^ftem^J(qble  food  in  the, year  i^jjj . 
-T-Bridge  tf  po^oons. — Plan  for  a  bridge  of 
^  ^f^S^^  ^V<^f^  acrofs  the  ^^\.^^-^Co\oj^\ f^tjij^ 
^' Peter  the  Qrt!ai,X*—^co¥i^  ^f*.^.P^4^^, 
and  of  its  cpmeymcf  foi  Peterf^ufgh.— G^- 
mral  oh/ervatiom  ^  the  ^^^^  ^  St.  Pe- 

terfburgh  during  the  %ai^r  ^i^y^.z'^f^f^^ 
cautions  againji  the  cold^ — Drvjerfons  and 
winter  fcenes  upon  the  ^eva. — Ice^hHls. — 
Annm^lfair  upon,  \t^  fvoji^f^f^c^* 

SAINT  Peterfturgji  is  Ijfjiated  in  the  lati- 
ttid^  of  59^^  56'  23'  Hprth,  and  longitude 
%^  9ii  ??ft,  ft§ni  tHe  firft  mpfidiap  of  Green- 
wich. |t  ftands  upon  |1^  Npvai  pc^r  thq 
Culf  of  Finland,  and  is  built  partly  upon 
feme  il^5  ii>  riig  juo^tlj  qf  that  river,  ^n4 
partly  upon  the  continent.  Its  principal 
divifiori5  are  as  follow*  !•  The  Admiralty 
:  Vol*  II,  S  quarter; 


J 


258  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA,        B*  4^ 

quarter;  2.  The  Vaffili  Oftrof*;  3.  The 
fortrefs ;  4.  The  Ifland  of  St.  Peterfburgh ; 
and  5.  The  various  fuburbs,  called  the 
fuburbs  of  Livonia,  of  Mofcow,  of  Alexander 
Nevfki,  and  of  Wiburgh.  Their  peculiar 
fituation,  vv^ith  refpedl  to  each  other^  will  be 
better  explained  by  the  annexed  plan  of  the 
town,  than  by  the  moft  elaborate  defcrip- 
tion* 

Peter  the- Great  has  incurred  confiderable 
cenfure  for  transferring  the  feat  of  empire 
from  Mofcow  to  Peterfburgh :  it  has  been 
urged,  with  fome  degree  of  plaufibility,  that 
he  was  in  efFedt  more  an  Afiatic  than  an 
European  fovereign  ;  that  Mofcow,  lying 
nearer  to  the  center  of  his  dominions,  was 
better  calculated  for  the  imperial  refidence; 
:and  that,  by  removing  his  capital,  he  negledted 
the  interior  provinces,  and  Sacrificed  every 
other  confideration  to  his  predilection  for  the 
Settlements  upon  the  Baltic. 

But  it  by  no  means  appears,  that  although 
Peterfburgh  was  thus  fituated  at  the  extremity 
of  Ruflia,  that  therefore  he  ncgleded  any  other 
part  of  his  vafl  dominions.  On  the  con-' 
trary,  he  wras  no  lefs  attentive  to  his  Afiatic 

* 

•  Oftrof  figoifies  Ifland.  . 

'  '  thaa 


C.  3»  •  P  E  T  E  R  S  B  U  R  G  H.  259 

than  to  his  European  provmces :  his  repeated 
negotiations  with  the  Chirteie;  his  campaigns 
againft  the  Turks;  and  his  conqueft  of  the 
l^erfian  provinces^  which  border  upon  the 
Cafpian,  prove  the  truth  of  this  aifcrtion. 
It  is  no  lefs  obvious,  that  Europe  was  the 
quarter  from  whence  the  greateft  danger  to 
his  throne  impended;  that  the  Swedes  were 
his  moft  formidable  enemies ;  and  that  from 
them  the  very  exiftence  of  his  empire  was 
threatened  with  annihilation.  It  was  •  not 
by  Reading  his  troops  againft  the  defultory 
bands  of  Turks  or  Perfians,  that  he  was  abl# 
to  acquire  a  folid  military  force ;  but  by 
graining  them  to  endure  the  firm  attack  of 
regular  battalions,  and  to  learn  to  conquer  at 
laft  by  repeated  defeats  :  with  this  defign, 
the  nearer  he  fixed  his  feat  to  the  borders  of 
.  Sweden,  whofe  veterans  had  long  been  the 
terror  of  the  north,  the  more  readily  his  troops 
would  imbibe  their  military  fpirit,  and  learn, 
by  encountering  them,  their  well-regulated 
manoeuvres.  Add  to  this,  that  the  protec- 
tion of  the  new  comnierce,  which  he  opened 
through  the  Baltic,  depended  uppn  the  creation 
and  maintenance  of  a  naval  force,  which  re*^ 
quired  his  immediate  and  almoft  continual  in-^ 
fpeftion.  To  this  circumftance  alone  is  owing 

S  2  the 


26d        TRAVfitS   INTO    RUSSIA.      B*4* 

the  rapid  and  rcfpciftable  rife  of  the  Rufliaa^ 
power;  its  preponderance  in  thenordi;  and 
its  political  importance  in  Ae  fcak  of  Europe.. 
In  a  word,  had  not  Peter  L  transferred  dte 
feat  of  government  to  the  fhores  of  the  Baltic  f 
Ae  Ruffian  navy  had  ntrcr  rode  triumphant 
in  the  Tur^ifh  feas ;  and  Catharine  II.  had 
jKver  ftood  forth  what  fhe  now  is,  the  arbi- 
trcfs  of  the  north,  and  the  mediatrix  •  of 
Europe. 

Thus  much  with  refpeA  to  the  political 
confequenct  which  Ruffia  derived  from  the 
pofition  of  the  new  metropolis.  Its  inter- 
nal improvement,  the  great  objeft  of  Peter** 
reign,  was  confiderably  advanced  by  approach- 
ing the  capital  to  the  more  civili^ctd  parts  of 
Europe  :  by  this  means  he  drew  the  nobility 
from  their  rude  magnificence  and  feudal  dig- 
nity ^t  Mofcow  to  a  more  immediate  de- 
pendence upon  the  fbvereign  ^  tofnorepoli(he<l 
manners ;  to  a  greater  degree  of  ibcial  inter- 
courfe.  Nor  was  there  any  other  caufe,  per- 
haps, which  fo  much  tended  to  promote  his 
plans  for  the  civilization  of  his  fubje^s,  a» 
the  removal  of  the  imperial  feat  from  the  in- 

♦  It  muft  be  remeinbercd,  that  Catharine  IL  mediated 
the  peace  of  Tefehen,  in  1779^  betwec»  the  emperor  ef 
Gennaiiy  and  the  king  of  Pruffia. 

5  land 


C.  3*  PETERSBURG  H.  26l 

land  provinces  to  the  Gulf  of  Finland^  For 
the  nearer  the  refideace  of  the  monarch  [s 
brought  to  the  more  poliflied  nations ;  the 
more  frequent  will  be  the  intercourfe  with 
them,  and  the  more  eafy  the  adopti<)i>  o£  th^r 
arts;  and  in  no  other  parts  could  the  influfc 
of  foreigners  be  fo  great  as  where  they  were 
allured  by  commerce*    »  ^ 

tn  oppofition,  therefore,  to  the  cenfureps 
of  Peter,  we  cannot  biit  efteem  this  aft  as 
extremely  beneficial :  and  we  might  even  ven- 
ture to  aflert,  that  if,  by  any  revolution  qf 
Europe,  this  empire  fhould  lofe  its  acquifitions 
on  the  Baltic ;  if  the  court  /hould  repair  to 
Mofcow,  and  maintain  a  fainter  cpnneftjtoii 
with  the  European  powers  before  any  eilenti^ 
reformation  in  the  manners  of  the  people 
ihould  have  taken  i^ace ;  Ruflia  wwld  fopA 
relapfe  into  her  original  barbarifin;  and  np 
traces  of  the  memorable  improvements  intror- 
duced  by  Peter  I.  and  Catharine  IL  would  be 
found  but  in  the  annals  of  hiftory. 

As  I  walJced  about  this  metropolis  I  was 
filled  with  aftoniflMnent  upon  reflecting,  that 
{o  late  as  the  b^inning  of  this  century,  the 
ground  on, which  Peterlburgh  now  ftands  was 
only  ^  yaft  morafs  occupied  by  a  few  fiiher- 
men's  huts^     The  iirft  building  of  the  city 

S3  -is 


262  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  4. 

is  fo  recent  as  to  be  almoft  remembered  by 
4bme  perfons  who  are  now  alive;  and  its 
gradual  progrefs  is  accordingly  traced  without 
the  leaft  difficulty.  Peter  the  Great  had  no 
fooner  wrefted  Ingria  from  the  Swedes,  and 
advanced  the  boundaries  of  his  empire  to  the 
fhores  of  the  Baltic ;  than  he  determined  to 
cre£t  a  fbrtrefs  upon  a  fmall  ifland  in  the 
mouth  of  the  Neva,  for  the  purpofe  of  fecuring 
his  conquefts,  and  opening  a  new  channel  of 
commerce*.  As  a  prelude  to  this  under- 
taking, a  fmall  battery  was  immediately  raifed 
on  another  ifland  of  the  Neva,  upon  the  fpot 
now  occupied  by  the  Academy  of  Sciences ; 
and  it  was  commanded  by  Vaffili  Demi  trie  vitch 
Kotflunin.  All  the  orders  of  the  emperor 
fent  to  this  officer  were  dire<a-ed  Vaffili  na 
Oftrof^  To  Vaffili  upon  the  Ifland ;  and  hence 
this  part  of  the  town  was  called  Vaffili  Oftrof, 
or  the  Ifland  of  Vaffili. 

The  fortrefs  was  begun  on  the  i6th  of 
May,  1703  ;  and,  notwithflanding  all  the  ob- 
ftru6tions  arifing  from  the  marfhy  nature  of 
the  ground,  and  the  inexperience  of  the  work- 
men i  a  finall  citadel  furrounded  with  a  ram- 

♦  See  Hift.  Gcog.  and  Top.  Befchreibung  der  Stadt 
S.  I*ct.  in  the  Journal  of  St.  Pet.  for  1779^ 

part 


C.  3*  P  E  T  E  R  S  B  U  R  G  H.  263 

part  of  earth,  and  ftrengthened  with  fix  baf- 
tions,  was  completed  in  a  fhort  fpace  of  time. 
An  author*,  who  was  in  Ruffia  at  that  pe*- 
riocj,  informs  us,  ^*  that  the  labourers  were 
**  not  fumifhed  with  the  neceflary  tools,  as 
**  pick-axes,  fpades  and  fhovels,  wheel-bar- 
*^  rows,  planks,  and  the  like ;  notwithftand^*- 
^*  ing  which,  the  work  went  on  with  fuch 
*^  expedition,   that  it  was  furprizing  to  fee 
**  the   fortrefs   raifed  within    lefs    than   five 
**  months,  though  the  earth,  which  is  very 
**  fcarce  thereabout^,  was,  for  the  greater  part> 
^*  carried  by  the  labourers  in   the  fkirts  o^ 
^^  their  clothes,   and  ii)  bags  made  of  ragg 
^*  and  old  mats,   the  ufe  of  wheel-barrows 
'^  being  then  unknown  to  them." 

Within  the  fortrefs  a  few  vvooden  habita- 
tions were  eredled*  For  his  own  immediate 
refidence  Peter  alfo  ordered,  in  the  beginning 
of  the  year  1703,  a  fmall  hut  to  be  raifed  ia 
^n  adjacent  ifland,  which  he  cajled  the  ifland 
of  St.  Peterfburgh,  and  from  which  the  new 
metropolis  has  taken  its  name  :  this  hut  was 
low  and  fmall ;  and  is  ftill  pr^fefved  in  mer 
mory  of  the  fovereign  who  condefcended  to 
dwell  in  it.     Near   it  was  foon   afterwards 

♦  Perry's  State  of  Ruffia,  voU  I.  p.  300. 

S  ^  conftruded 


264         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  4. 

conftrudcd  'another  wooden  habitation,  but 
larger  and  more  comfraodious,  in  which  prince 
•Mentchikof  refidcdy  and  gave  audience  to  fer- 
feign  minifters.  At  a  fhiall  diftance  Was  art 
inn,  ttiiich  frequented  by  the  courtiers  arid 
|)erfons  of  all  ranks ;  to  whidl  Peter  himfelF, 
on  Sundays  after  divhlc-lervice,  frequehtly  re- 
paired ;  and  would  thefe  drink  with  his  fuitfe 
arid  others  who  happened  to  be  preferit,  as 
fped:ators  of  the  fire-works  and  divetficms, 
which  were  exhibited  by  his  orders. 

On  the  30th  of  May,  1706,  Peter  ordo-ea 
the  ramparts  of  earth  to  be  demoliihed,  and 
began  the  foundation  of  the  new  fortrefs  on 
the  fame  fpot.  Ift  17 10,  Count  Golovkjn 
built  the  firft  edifice  of  brick;  and  in  the 
following  year  the  tzar,  with  his  own  hand, 
laid  the  foundation  of  an  houfe,  to  be  ercdted 
with  the  fame  materials  *.  From  thefe  fmall 
beginnings  rofe  the  prefent  metropolis  of  the 
Ruffian  empire;  and  in  lefs  than  nine  years 
after  the  firft  wretched  hovels  of  wood  were 
eredted,  the  feat  of  empire  was  transferred 
from  Mofcow  to  Peterlburgh, 

The  defpotic  authority  of  Peter,  and  his 
.   ^eal  for  the  improvement  of  the  riew  capital^ 

♦  Journal  St.  Pet.  for  i779« 

will 


C^3-  PETERSBURG  H*  265 

will  appear  from  the  following  orders  iflued 
by  his  command.  In  17 14  he  publi(hed  a 
mandate,  that  all  buildings  upon  the  Ifland  of 
St. .  Peterfburgh,  and  in  the  Admiralty  Quar- 
ter, particularly  thofe  upon  the  banks  of  the 
Neva,  fhould  be  conftrudtcd  after  the  German 
inartner  with  timber  and  brick ;  that  each  of 
thfe  nobility  and  principal  merchants  fhocdd 
be  obliged  to  have  an  houfe  in  Pcteribiirgh  j 
that  every  large  veflel  navigating  to  the  city 
ihould  bring  30  ftohes,  every  fmall  one  10^ 
and  every  peasant's  waggon  three,  towards 
the  conftrudion  of  the  bridges  and  other 
public  works :  that  the  tops  of  the  hou&s 
ihould  be  no  longer  covered  with  birch- 
planks,  and  bark,  fo  dangerous  in  cafe  of  fire^ 
but  ihould  be  roofed  with  tiles,  or  clods  of 
earth.  In  17 16  a  regular  plan  *  for  thfc 
new  city  was  approved  by  Peter;  according 
to  which  the  principal  part  of  the  new  metro- 
polis vras  to  be  fituated  in  the  Vaflili  Oilrof ; 
and,  in  imitation  of  the  Dutch  towns^  canals 
were  to  be  cut  through  the  principal  ibeets, 
and  to  be  lined  with  avenues  of  trees.  This 
plan^  however,  was  never  carried  into  execu- 

^  The  reader  will  find  a  delineation  of  this  plan  In 
Ferry'$  State  of  Ruffia. 

tIon« 


266  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  4. 

tion.  Under  the  emprefs  Anne,  the  imperial 
refidence  was  removed  to  the  Admiralty  Quar^ 
ter.  The  nobility  foon  followed  the  example 
of  the  fovereign ;  and  at  pref^t,  if  wc  except 
Ibme  of  the  public  edifices,  and  the  row  of 
houfes  froating  the  Neva ;  the  Vaflili  Oftrof 
is  the  worft  part  of  the  city,  and  alone  contains 
more  wooden  buildings  than  all  the  other 
quarters. 

Succeeding  fovercigns  have  continued  to 
cmbellifh  Pcterlburgh,  but  none  more  than 
the  prefent  emprefs  ;  who  may,  without  exag- 
geration, be  called  its  fecond  foundrefs.  Not-. 
withftanding,  however,  all  thefeimprovements^ 
it  bears  every  mark  of  an  infant  city,  and  is 
ftill,  as  Mr.  Wraxall  *  juftly  obferves,  **  only 
**  an  immcnfe  outline,  which  wjU  require  fu- 
**  ture  empreflcs  and  almoft  future  ages  to 
**  complete/'  Th^  ftreets  in  general  are 
broad  -f  and  fpacious  ;  an4  three  of  the 
principal  ones,  which  meet  in  a  point  at  the 
Admiralty,  and  reach  to  the  extremities  of 
the  fuburbs,  are  at  leaft  two  miles  in  length. 
Moft  of  them  are  paved ;  but  a  few  are  ftill 
fufFered  to  remain  floored  with  planks.     In 

*  Wraxall's  Tour,  p.  ^31. 

t  They  are  moftly  as  bread  as  Oxford-Street:  thofc 
with  canals  much  broader. 

7  fevcral 


C.  3-  P  E  T  E  R   S  B  U  R  G  H.  267 

feveral  parts  of  the  metropolis,  particularly 
in  the  Vaffili  Oftrof,  wooden  houfcs  and  ha^- 
bitatioris,  fcarcely  fuperior  to  conjmon  cot- 
tages, are  blended  with  the  public  buildings^ 
but  this  motley  mixture  is  far  lefs  common 
than  at  Mofcow,  where  alone  can  be  formed 
any  idea  of  an  antient  Ruffian  city. 

The  brick  houfes  are  ornamented  with  a. 
white  ftucco,  which  has  led  feveral  travellers 
to  fay  that  they  are  built  with  ftone ;  whereas, 
unlefs  I  am'  greatly  miftaken,  there  are  o/ily 
two  ftone  ftrudtures  in  all  Peterfburgh,  The 
one  is  a  palace,  building  by  the  eniprefs  upon 
the  banks  of  the  Neva,  called  the  marble 
palace  j  it  is  of  hewn  granite,  with  marble 
columns  and  ornaments;  the  other  is  the 
church  of  St.  Ifaac,  conftruded  with  the  fame 
materials,  but  not  yet  finifhed. 

The  maniions  of  the  nobility  are  many  of 
them  vaft  piles  of  building,  but  are  not  in 
general  upon  fo  large  and  magnificent  a  fcale 
as  feveral  I  obferved  at  Mofcow :  they  are 
furnifhed  with  great  coft,  and  in  the  fame 
elegant  flyle  as  at  Paris  or  London.  They 
are  fituated  chiefly  on  the  fouth  fide  of  the 
Neva,  either  in  the  Admiralty  Quarter,  or  in 
the  fuburbs  of  Livonia  and  Mofbow,  which 
are  the  fineft  parts  of  the  city. 

The 


268         TRAVELS    INTO    RUS5IA.       B.  4. 

The  Ticws  upon  the  banks  of  thi  Neva 
^adiibit  the  moft  grand  and  lively  fcenes  I 
^ver  bidield.  That  river  is  in  many  places 
as  broad  as  the  Thames  at  London :  it  is 
alfo  deep,  rapid,  and  as  tranfparent  as  chryftal ; 
and  its  banks  are  lined  on  each  fide  with  a 
contintted  range  of  handfome  buildings.  On 
the  north  fide  the  fortrefs,  the  Academy  of 
Sciaices  and  the  Academy  of  Arts  arc  the 
moft  ftriking  objcfts ;  on  the  oppofite  fide 
arc  the  Imperial  palace,  the  Admiralty,  the 
manfions  of  many  Ruffian  nobks,  and  the 
EngUiOb  line,  ib  called  becaufe  (a  lew  houies 
excepted)  the  whole  row  is  occupied  by  the 
Englifli  merchants.  In  the  front  of  thefe 
buildings,  on  Ac  fouth  fide,  is  the  Quay, 
which  ftrctches  for  three  miles,  except  whece 
it  is  interrupted  by  the  Admiralty  j  and  the 
Neva,  dtiring  the  whole  of  that  fpace,  has 
been  lately  embanked,  at  the  cxpence  of  .the 
emprefe,  by  a  wall,  parapet,  and  pavement  of 
hcvm  granite ;  a  nK)ft  elegant  and  durable 
monumeivt  of  imperial  munificence. 

Peterfburgh,  although  it  is  more  compaft 
than  the  other  Ruffian  cities,   and  has  the^ 
houfes   in  many  ftreets  contiguous    to  each 
other;  yd  ftill  bears  a  refemblance  to  Ae 
towns  of  this  country,  and  is  built  in  a  very 

ftraggling 


C.  3.  .    P  E  T  E  R  S  B  U  R  G  H.  269 

^ggl^g  nianner.  By  an  order  lately  ifTued 
from  government,  the  city  has  been  enclofed 
within  a  rampart,  the  circumference  whereof 
is  21  verfts,  or  14  Englifli  miles. 

The  average  population  of  Peter/burgh  may 
be  coUedbed  from  the  following  lift  of  births 
and  deaths  during  feven  years. 

BIRTHS.  DEATHS. 

,^-i  Males  24S9__g  Males  3IJ7_.-.^ 
^^^^  Females   2322-+7^^     Females   l(}^^-^^^^ 

1772  -           -    =4759         -  -    ==+73^7 

1773  -  -  =5483  -  -  =5031 
,^«.  Miles  2839_^^^^  Males  ^Soo^^^^^^ 
'77+  Females  2598^5437  Femates  1559^*+^* 

177s        -  -   =4961         -  -    =3^07 

^^r  Maks  28i6_^^^^  Males  2694_^^,^ 
^776  Females  i58i-5397    Females   1769-^^^ 

Natives*  *\  Natives.         '% 

Males      2717  j  Males       31 17  j 

Females  2618  I  Females    2043  [ 

1777       Foreigner!.  {5854  Farcigacrs.         p66o 

Males        265 1  Males         265  ( 

Females    254J  Females      235J 
Total  of  births  for  7  }  ^^  ^^^         Total  of .  7  ^^  ^,  ^ 
years       -        -   ^|  36,672  j^^^^s    }  3^1 165 

Annual  average  of  births,   omitting  fmall  1  q 

fraaions  .  -  -  J     >^i^ 

*       -       -       of  deaths  -         •         4594 

By  multiplying  the  births  5238  by  25>  the 
fum  is  134,950 ;  and  the  deaths  4594  by  26, 
the  fum  is  119,444.  By  taking  the  me- 
dium,   therefore,  between   thefe   two   fums, 

we 


270         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B*  4* 

We  have  1 26,697  for  the  uumber  of  inhabi- 
tants *. 

Pcterfburgh,  from  its  low  and  -marfhy 
fituation,  is  fubjeft  to  inundations,  which 
have  dccafionally  rifen  fo  high  as  to  threaten 
the  tow^n  w^ith  a .  total  fubmerfion.  Thefe 
floods  are  chiefly  occafioncd  by  a  w^fl  or 
fouth-wefl:  wind,  w^hich,  blow^ing  diredly 
from  the  gulf,  obftrufts  the  current  of  the 
Neva,  and  caufes  a  vafl:  accumulation  of  its 
waters.  On  the  16th  of  November  we  had 
nearly  perfonal  experience  of  this  dreadful 
calamity.  Being  invited  to  a  mafquerade  at 
the  Cadet's  in  the  Vaflili  Ofl:rof,  on  our 
approach  to  the  bridge,  we  perceived  that  a 
ftormy  weft  wind  had  already  fo  much  fwelled 
the  river  as  confiderably  to  elevate  the  pon- 
toons ;  and  the  tenfion  of  the  bridge  was  fo 
great  as  to  endanger  its  being  broken  to 
pieces.     Inftead,'  therefore,    of  repairing   to 

♦  Sufslick  cftimates  the  population  of  Peterfturgh  at 
133,196,  by  multiplying  the  births  with  28  5  and  132,990, 
by  multiplying  the  deaths  by  26 ;  neither  of  which  numbers 
differs  cflentially  from  the  average  number  in  the  text :  he 
adds,  that  Peterfturgh  is  the  only  large  town  in  which 
Chere  are  more  births  thaa  deatjhs.  Upon  the  whole,  the 
population  of  Peterfturgh  may  be  eftimated  in  round  num* 
bers  at  130,000  of  fouls.  See  Sufslick  Gottliche  Ordnung, 
vol.  III.  p.  650. 

the 


,C.  3»  P  E  T  E  R  S  B  U  R.G  H*  27I 

the  maf4uef ade,    we   returned    home ;    and 
waited  for  fome  hours  in  awful  expeftation  of 
an  immediate  deluge.     Providentially,  how- 
ever, a  fudden  change  of  wind  preferved  Pe- 
terfburgh   from    the   impending   cataftrophe, 
and  the  inhabitants  from  an  almoft  univerfal 
confternation,  which  their   recent  fufferings 
had   imprefled  upon  their  minds.     I  allude 
to  the  flood  which  overwhelmed  the   town 
in  the  month  of  September,  1777,  and  whofc 
eflfedts  are  thus  cjefcribed :  ^*  *  In  the  evening 
^*  of  the  9th,  a  violent  ftorm  of  wind  blowing 
"  at  firft  S.  W.  and  afterwards  W.  raifed  the 
**  Neva  and  its  various  branches  to  fo  great 
an  height ;  that  at  five  in  the  morning  the 
waters  poured  over  their  banks,  and  fud- 
^*  denly  overflowed  the  town,  but  more  par- 
**  ticularly  the  Vaflili  Oftrof  and  the  ifland 
**  of  St.   PeterflDurgh.     The  torrent  rofe  in 
"  feveral   ilreets   to  the  depth  of  four   feet 
**  and  an  half  j  and  overturned,  by  its  rapi- 
"  dity,  various  buildings  and  bridges.    About 
"  {cvciiy  t|ie  wind  fhifting  to  N.  W.  the  flood 
**  fell  as  fuddenly ;  and  at  mid-day  moft  of 
^*  the  ftreets,  which  in  the  morning  could 
***  only  be  paflTed  in  boats,  became  dry.     For 

*  Journ%  St.  Pet.  Sept.  1777* 

*'  a  fhort 


€4 
4€ 


tyz         TRAVEtS   INTO    RUSSIA*       8.4* 


a  fhort  time  the  river  refe  i  o  feet  7  inches 
above  its  ordinary  level  */* 


♦  Mr.  Kraft,  profcflbr  of  e^cperlmental  philofbphy  In  the 
Imperial  Academy  of  Sciences,  has  written  a  judicious 
treatife  upon  the  inundation  of  the  Neva;  from  which  the 
fidlowing  obfervations  are  extra^d.  ^hefe  floods  are 
le&  alarming  than  formerly,  as  the  fwelllng  of  thi^  fivt^  to 
about  fix  feet  above  its  ufual  level,  which  ufed  to  ove^o>Y 
tjie  whole  town,  has  no  longer  any  efie£t,  excepting  upon 
the  lower  parts  of  Peterfburgh  ;  a  circumftancc  owing  to 
^  gradual  raiflng  of  the  ground  by  buildings  and  othar 
caufes. 

Upon  tracing  the  principal  inimdations,  the  prpfeflpr  Iq^ 
forms  us,  that  the  moft  antient,  of  which  there  is  any  tra- 
dition, happened  in  169 1,  and  is  mentioned  by  Weber, 
from  the  account  of  fome  fifhermen  inhabiting  near  Nie(^ 
chants,  a  Swedi0i  redoubt  upon  the  Neva,  about  three 
miles  from  the  prefent  fortrefs  of  Peterfburgh.  At  th^ 
period  the  waters  ufually  rofe  every  five  years  5  and  th.e  in- 
habitants of  that  diftrift  no  fooner  perceived  the  particular 
ftorms  which  they  had  been  taught  from  fatal  experience 
to  confider  as  foretunners  of  a  flood,  than  they  tock  their 
hovels  to  pieces,  and,  joining  the  timbers  together  in  tb^ 
form  of  rafts,  faftened  them  to  the  fummits  of  the  higheft 
trees,  and  repaired  to  the  mountain  of  Duderof,  which  is 
diftant  fix  miles  fi-om  their  place  of  abode,  where  they 
waited  until  the  waters  fubfided* 

The  higheft  inundations,  excepting  the  laft  of  1777, 
were  thofeof  the  i ft  of  November,  J  726,  when  the  waters 
rofe  8  feet  2  inches;  and  on  the  2d  of  Oftober,  1752, 
when  they  rofe  8  feet  5  inches* 

From 


C.  3'  PETiSRSbURGk*  273 

The    oppofite    divifiona    of    Peterfburgh, 
fituated  on  each  fide  of  the  Neva,  are  con- 

From  a  long  courfc  of  obfeilrajtions  the  profeflbr  dravi^ 
the  following  concluiion*  The  higheft  floods,  namely^ 
thofe  which  rife  about  fix  feet,  have  generally  happened  in 
one  of  the  four  laft  months  of  the  year  :  no  fenfible  effect 
is  ever  produced  by  rain  or  (how ;  a  fwell  is  fometimes  oc- 
cafioned  by  the  Accumulation  of  mailes  of  ice  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Neva;  but  the  principal  caufes  of  the  overflowing  bf 
that  river  are  derived  from  violent  ftorms  and  winds  blow- 
ing S.  W.  W»  or  N.  W*  which  ufually  prevail  at  the  au* 
tlimnal  equinox;  and  the  height  cf  the  waters  is  always  in 
proportion  to  the  violence  and  duration  of  thofe  winds* 
In  a  word,  the  circumftances  moft  liable  to  promote  the 
overflowings  of  the  Neva,  are  when,  at  the  autumnal  equi* 
nox,  three  or  four  days  before  or  after  the  full  or  i>ew 
tnoort,  that  luminary  being  near  her  perigaeuni,  a  violent 
N.  W.  wind  drives  the  waters  of  the  Northern  Ocean^ 
during  the  inRuX  of  the  tide,  into  the  Baltic,  and  is  ao>- 
com*panied,  or  inftantaneoufly  fucceeded  by  a  S.  W.  wind 
in  that  fea  and  the  Gulf  of  Finland.  All  thefe  circum- 
ftances Concurred  at  the  inundation  of  1777  :  it  happened 
two  days  befote  the  autumnal  equinox,  four  before  the  full 
moon,  two  after  her  paifing  through  the  perigseum,  and  by 
a  ftorm  at  S.  W,  which  was  preceded  by  ftrong  W*  winds 
in  the  Northern  Ocean,  and  ftrong  N.  winds  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Baltic. 

See  Notices  et  Remarques  fur  les  debordemens  de  la 
Neva  i  St.  Peterlbourg  accompagnces  d'une  carte  repre- 
/entant  la  crue  et  la  diminution  des  caux,  &c. — ^In  Nov. 
Ac.  Pet.  for  1777,  P.  II.  p.  47.  to  which  excellent  trea- 
tife  I  would  refer  the  curious  reader  for  further  informa- 

r 

tion. 

Vol.  II.  T  neded 


274         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.         B.  4. 

hedtcd  by  ia  bridge  on  pontoons,  which,  on 
account  of  the  large  mafles  of  ice  driven 
down  the  ftream  from  the  Lake  Ladoga,  is 
ufually  removed  *  when  they  firfl:  make  their 
appearance;  and  for  a  few  days,  until  the 
river  is  frozen  hard  enough  to  bear  carriages, 
there  is  no  communication  between  the  oppo- 
fite  parts  of  the  town. 

The  depth  of  the  river  renders  it  extremely 
difficult  to  build  a  flone  bridge ;  and  if  one 
fhould  be  conftrudted,  it  would  probably  be 
deftroyed  by  the  vaft  fhoals  of  ice,  which 
Ml  the  beginning  of  winter  are  hurried  down 
the  rapid  ftream  of  the  Neva,  In  order  to 
remedy  this  inconvenience,  a  Ruffian  peaiant 
has  projected  the  fublime  plan  of  throwing  a 
wooden  bridge  of  a  fingle  arch  acrofs  the  river, 
which  in  its  narroweft  part  is  980  feet  in 
breadth.  The  artift  has  executed  a  model 
98  feet  in  length,  which  I  examined  with 
great  attention,  as  he  explained  its  propor- 
tion and  mechanifm. 

The  bridge  is  upon  the  fame  principle  with 
that  of  SchafFhaufen,  excepting  that  the  me- 

*  When  I  was  at  Peterlburgh,  the  bridge  which  had 
been  taken  away  was  replaced,  and  continued  during  the 
whole  winter. 

M 

c  chaniim 


Cv  3*  1>  E  T  E  R  S  B  U  R  G  H.  275. 

chanlfm  is  more  complicated,  and  that  the 
road  is  not  fo  level.  I  fhall  attempt  to  de- 
fcribe  it  by  fuppofing  it  finifhed,  as  that  will 
convey  the  beft  idea  of  the  plan.  The  bridge 
is  roofed  at  the  top,  and  covered  at  the  fides  : 
it  is  formed  by  four  frames  of  timber,  two  on 
each  fide,  compofed  of  various  beams  or  trufles, 
which  fupport  the  whole  machine.  The  road 
is  not,  as  is  ufual,  carried  over  the  top  of  the 
arch,  but  is  fufpended  in  the  middle. 

The  following  proportions  I  noted  down, 
as  they  were  explained  to  me  by  the  artift. 

Lcngdi  of  the  abutment  on  the  north  end  658  feet. 

Span  of  the  arch                -                -  980 

Length  of  the  abutment  on  the  fouth  end  658 

XfCngth  of  the  whole  ftru£hxf.e,  including  ^  ^ 

the  abutments  -  -  J 

The  plane  of  the  road  upon  its  firft  afcent 

makes  an  angle  of  five  degrees  with  the 

ordinary  furface  of  the  river. 
Mean  level  of  the  river  to  the  top  of  the  j       ^^ 

bridge  in  the  center        -         -         -      J 
'Ditto  to  the  bottom  of  the  bridge  in  the  l 

center  -  -  -  5 

Height  of  the  bridge  from  the  bottom  to  1 

the  top  in  the  center  -  -  1 

Height  from  the  bottom  of  the  bridge  in  j 

the  center  to  the  road  -  i 

Height  from  the  bottom  of  ditto  to  the  7        p 


water 


i 


Height  from  the  water  to  the  fpring  of  the  1         ^ 
Vch  •  .  -  J 

Ta  So 


2^6         TRAVELS    INTO    R  ITS  ST  A.        B.if*. 

So  that  there  is  a  difference  of  3  5  feet  between^ 
the  road  at  the  fpring  of  the  arch,  and  the 
fbad  at  the  center ;  in  other  words,  an  afcent 

^f  35  fc^^  i^  ^^^  9^^y  ^^  ^^  *^^  fpace  of  490 
feet,  which  is  little  more  than  eight-tenths  of 
an  inch  to  a  foot*.  The  bridge  is  broadeft 
towards  the  fides,  and  diminifhes  towards  the 
center^ 


In  the  broadU):  gtrt  It  19  *         «        ij68  feet. 

In  the  center  or  narroweflr         -  -         42 

The  breadth  of  tte  road  is         -         -         a8 

The  ar^ft  informed  me>-  that  to  complete 
dxe  bridge  would  require  49^650  iron  nails,. 
1 2,908  large  trees,  5,500  beanu  to  ilcengthen. 
them,  and  that  it  would  coft  300,000  roubles,, 
or  £.  60,000,.  He  ipeaks  of  this  bold  pro- 
jcdl  with  the  ufiial  warmth  of  genius  y  and  is 
perfectly  convinced  that  it  would  be  praftl- 
cable.  I  muft  own:  Aat  I  am  of  the  fame 
opinion,  though  I  hazard  it  with  great  diffi- 
dence. What  a  noble  effed:  would  be  pro- 
duced by  a  bridge  ftriking  acrofs  tlje  Neva,. 
with  an  arch  980  feet  wide,  and  towering  168 
feet  from  the  furface  of  the  water-  The 
defcription  of  fiich  a  bridge  fecms  almofl 

♦  The  alicent  of  the  road  of  the  bridjje  at  Schaffhairfcm 
i8  barely  four-tei^  of  an  inch  in  a  foot. 

10^  chimerical;; 


to.  3.  P  E  T  E  R  S  B  U  R  G  H.  277 

chimerical ;  and  yet,  upon  infpeftion  of  tJie 
model,  we  become  reconciled  to  the  idea. 
But  whether  the  execution  of  this  ftupendous 
work  may  he  deemed  poffible  or  not ;  the 
anodel  itffelf  is  worthy  of  attention,  and  re- 
ileds  the  higheft  honour  on  the  inventive 
faculties  of  that  unimproved  genius :  it  is  fo 
<rompa(ftly  conftrufted,  and  of  fiich  uniform 
iblidity,  that  it  has  fupported  3540  pood,  or 
127,440  pounds,  without  having 'in  the  lead 
fwtrvcd  from  its  diredioB,  which  I  am  told  is 
iar  more,  in  proportion  to  its  iize,  than  the 
bridge,  if  completed,  would  have  occafion  to 
fuftain  from  the  preiTure  of  the  carriages  added 
3to  its  own  weight. 

The  perfon  who  proje6tcd  this  plan  is  a 
common  Ruffian  peaiant ;  and,  lite  the  Swifs 
carpenter  who  huilt  the  bridge  of  Schaif- 
iiaufen*,  pofTefied  of  but  little  knowledge 
in  the  theory  of  mechanics.  This  extra- 
•ordinary  genius  was  apprentice  to  a  fhop- 
keeper  at  Nifhnei  Novogorod :  oppofite  to 
his  dwelling  was  a  wooden  clock,  which  ex- 
cited his  curiofity.  By  repeated  examinations 
lie  comprehended  the  internal  ftrudture,  and^ 

♦  For  the  account  of  the  bridge  of  SchafFhaufen,  fee 
,thc  Sketches  on  the  State  of  Swifferland,  Letter  II. 

T  2  without 


278  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  4. 

without  any  affiftance,  formed  one  exaftly 
fimilar  in  its  proportion  and  materials.  His 
fuccefs  in  this  firft  eflay  urged  him  to  under- 
take the  conftruftion  of  metal  clocks  and 
watches.  The  emprefs,  hearing  of  thefe 
wonderful  exertions  of  his  native  genius, 
took  him  under  her  protection,  and  fent  him 
to  England ;  from  whence,  on  account  of  the 
difficulties  attending  his  ignorance  of  the  lan- 
guage, he  foon  returned  to  Ruffia.  I  faw 
a  repeating  watch  of  his  workmanfhip  at  the 
Academy  of  Sciences :  it  is  about  the  bignefs 
of  an  egg  -,  in  the  infide  is  repriefented  the 
tomb  of  our  Saviour,  with  the  ftone  at  the 
entrance,  and  the  centinels  upon  duty ;  fud- 
denly  the  ftone  is  removed,  the  centinels  fall 
down,  the  angels  appear,  the  women  enter 
the  fcpulchre,  and  the  fame  chant  is  heard 
which  is  performed  on  Eafter-eve.  Thefe 
are  trifling,  although  curious  performances ; 
but  the  very  planning  of  the  bridge  was  a 
moft  fublime  conception.  This  perfon,  whofe 
name  is  Kulibin,  bears  the  appearance  of  a 
Ruflian  peafant ;  he  has  a  long  beard,  and 
wears  the  common  drefs  of  the  country.  He 
receives  a  penfion  from  the  emprefs,  and  i^ 
encouraged  to  follow  the  bent  of  his  mecha^ 
nical  genius. 

One 


C.  3*  t  E  T  E  &  S  B  U  R  G  H/  2J() 

One  of  the  nobleft  monuments,  as  my  in- 
genious friend  Mr.  Wraxall  obferves,  of  the 
gratitude  and  veneration  paid  to  Peter  I.  ^ 
is  the  equeftrian  ftatue  of  that  monarch  in 
bronze  :  it  is  of  a  Coloffal  fize,  and  is  the 
work  of  Monfieur  Falconet,  the  celebrated 
French  ftatuaiy,  call  at  the  expence  of  Catha- 
rine II.  in  honour  of  her  great  predeceflbr, 
whom  fhe  reveres  and  imitated.  It  reprefents 
that  monarch  in  the  attitude  of  mounting  a 
precipice,  the  fummit  of  which  he  has  nearly 
attained.  He  appears  cowned  with  laurel, 
in  a  loofe  Alia  tic  veil,  and  fitting  on  a  houling 
of  bear-lkin :  his  right  hand  is  llretched  out 
as  in  the  aft  of  giving  benediction  to  his  peo- 
ple ;  and  his  left  holds  the  reins.  The  defign 
is  mallerly,  and  the  attitude  is  bold  and  fpirit- 
ed.  If  there  be  any  defed:  in  the  figure,  it 
confills  in  the  flat  pofition  of  the  right  hand ; 
and,  for  this  reafon,  the  view  of  the  left  fide 
is  the  moll  llriking,  where  the  whole  appear- 
ance is  graceful  and  animated.  The  horfe  is 
rearing  upon  its  hind  legs^  and  its  tail, 
which  is  full  and  flowing,  flightly  touches  a 
bronze  ferpent,  artfully  contrived  to  allill  in 
fupporting  the  vail  weight  of  the  llatue  ia 

*  Wraxall's  Tour,  p.  224. 
"i  T  4  -  due 


«80         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA,        B.  4* 

due  equilibrium.  The  artift  has,  in  this  no- 
ble eflay  of  his  genius,,  reprcfented  Peter  as 
the  legillator  of  his  country,  without  any  al- 
Jufion  to  conqucft  and  bloodfhed  i  wifely  pre- 
ferring his  civil  qualities  to  his  military  ex- 
ploits *,    The  cpntraft  between  the  compofed 

♦  Monfieur  Falconet  has  ably  refuted  the  cenfures  urge4 
againft  his  ftatiio  pn  this  account.  See  hi$  letter  to  Di* 
dcrot,  in  *^  Pieces  written  by  Monf.  Falconet,"  tranflated 
by  Mr.  Tooke,  p.  47.  The  re^r  will  alfo  find  in  Azt 
work  an  engraving  of  the  ftatue*  "  I  have  endeavoured," 
ftid  Monfieur  Falconet  to  Mr.  Wraxall,  "  to  catch,  as 
♦*  far  as  poflible,  the  genuine  feelings  of  the  Mufcovite 
^*  legiflator,  and  to  give  him  fuch^  an  expreffion  as  himfelf 
^^  would  have  owned.  I  have  not  decked  his  pcr6m  with 
^^  emblems  pf  Roman  co^fulage,  or  pl^ed  a  marechal's 
**  baton  in  his  hand :  an  antient  drefs  would  have  been 
**  unnatural,  and  the  Ruffian  he  wiflied  to  abolifli.  The 
^  fkin  on  which  he  is  feated,  is  emblematical  of  the  nation 
^  he  refined,  Poffibly,"  feid  M.  Falconet,  "  the  czar 
^^  would  have  afked  me  why  I  did  not  put  a  fabre  into  his 
**  hand  j  but,  perhaps,  he  made  too  great  ufe  of  it  when 
*^  alive,  and  a  fculptor  ought  only  to  exhibit  thofe  parts  of 
^*  a  charafter  which  reflefl:  honour  on  it,  and  rather  to 
*'  draw  a  veil  acrofs  the  errors  and  vices  which  tamifh  it. 
^^  A  laboured  panegyrick  would  have  been  equally  injudi- 
*'  cious  and  unneceffa^y,  fince  hiftory  has  already  perform- 
*^  cd  thfit  office  with  impartial  juftice,  and  held  up  his 
**  name  to  univerfal  regard ;  and  I  muft  da  her  prefent 
''  majefty  the  juftice  to  &y,  (he  had  tafte  and  difcernment 
"  enough  perfefyy  to  fee  this,  and  to  prefei^  the  prefent; 
^'  (hort  infcripjion  to  any  other  which  poul4  be  comgofed.'* 
Wrax;airs  Tour,  p.  2?t5 — 2^7- 

tranquillity 


C.  3*  FBTEKSB0RGH*  281 

tranquillity  of  Peter  (though  perhaps  not  ab- 
Iblutcly  charafteriftic)  and  the  lire  of  the 
horfc,  eager  to  prefs  forwards,  is  very  ftriking. 
The  fimplicity  of  the  infcri^tion  correlponds 
to  the  fublimify  of  the  defign,  and  is  far  pre- 
ferable to  a  pompous  detail  of  exalted  virtues, 
which  the  voice  of  flattery  applies  to  every 
foverdgn  without  diilinftion.  It  is  elegantly 
finifhed  in  brafs  characters.  On  one  fide  in 
Latin,  and  on  the  oppofite  in  Ruffian. 


PETRO   PRIMO  ♦,        I  PETRU  PERVOMtT. 

CATHARINA    SECUNDA    |  EKATHEREN A  VTORAJYA 

Z782*  I  ijSs* 


The  ftatue,  when  I  was  at  Peterfburgh, 
was  not  erefted,  but  ftood  under  a  large  wood- 
en fhed  near  the  Neva,  within  a  few  yards  of 
its  enormous  pedeftaL  When  Falconet  had 
conceived  the  defign  of  his  fl:atue,  the  bafe  of 
which  was  to  be  formed  by  an  huge  rock  -f*, 
he  carefully  examined  the  environs  of  Peterf-  . 
burgh ;  if,  among  the  detatched  pieces  of  gra- 

♦  Catharine  II.  to  Peter  I. 

t  **  Pour  marquer  a  pofterite,  d'ou  cet  heros  legiflatcur 
**  etoit  parti,  et  quels  obftacles  il  avoit  furmonte^— Dc- 
*'  fcription  d'une  Pierre — pour  fervir  de  Piedeftal,  &c.  in 
^<  Hajr^old's,"     Rufsland,  V.  XL  p.  21 1. 

nite^ 


2^2  TRAVELS    INTO   RUSSIA.      B.  4. 

nitc  *,  which  are  fcattcrcd  about  thefe  part^, 
one  could  be  found  of  magnitude  correfpond- 
ent  to  the  dimenfions  of  the  equeftrian  figure. 
After  confiderable  refearch,  he  difcovcred  a 
ftupendous  mafs  half  burfed  in  the  midft  of  a 
morafs.  The  expence  and  difficulty  of  tranf- 
porting  it  were  no  obflaclcs  to  Catharine  II. 
By  her  order  the  morafs  was  immediately 
drained;  a  road  was  cut  through  a  foreft, 
and  carried  over  the  marfhy  ground ;  and  the 
Hone,  which  after  it  had  been  fomewhat  re- 
duced weighed  at  leaft  1 500  tons,  was  removed 

to  Peterfburgh. 

This  more  than  Roman  work  was,  in  lefs 

♦  The  pcdcftal  is  a  reddifli  granite,  in  which  the  micae 
Are  very  large  and  refplendent.  This  circumftance  in- 
duced a  perfon,  who  has  publiflied  an  account  of  it,  and 
was  wiHing  to  make  a  prodigy  where  there  is  none,  to 
give  the  fcdlowing  ridiculous  and  exaggerated  defcription 
upon  breaking  part  of  it  afunder. 

"  Ce  qui  furtout  frappa  d'etonnement,  c'etoit  I'interieur 
^*  de  la  pierre.  Un  coup  de  foudre  Tavoit  endommage 
^  d'un  cote.  On  abbattit  ce  morceau,  &  Ton  vit,  an  lieu 
•'  de  parties  homogenes,  un  aflemblage  de  toutes  fortes  de 
^  pterres  fines  tff  precieufes.  Cetoient  des  Criftaux^  des 
**  AgatheSy  des  Grenais^  des  Topazes^  des  CornalineSy  des 
AmethyJieSy  qui  ofFroient  aux  yeux  des  curieuX  un 
fpeftacle,  auffi  nouveau  que  magnifique,  &  aux  phyficiens 
un  objet  de   recherqhes  des  plus  intereffans."     Ibid. 

p.  212. 

than 


C€ 
C< 
€C 


C3.  PETERSBURG  H.  ^Sj 

than  fix  months  from  the  time  of  its  firft  dif- 
covcry,  accomplifhed  by  a  windlafs,  and  by 
means  of  large  fridtion -balls  alternately  placdl 
and  removed  in  grooves  fixed  on  each  fide  of 
the  road.  In  this  manner  it  was  drawn,  wdth 
forty  men  feated  upon  its  top,  about  four  miles 
to  the  banks  of  the  Neva ;  there  it  was  em- 
,barkcd  in  a  veflel  confl:rud:ed  on  purpofe  to 
receive  it,  and  thus  conveyed  about  the  fame 
difl;ance  by  water  to  the  fpot  where  it  now 
ftands.  When  landed  at  Peterfburgh  it  wa& 
42  feet  long  at  the  bafe,  36  at  the  top,  2,1 
thick,  and  17  high :  a  bulk  greatly  furpaffing 
in  weight  the  moft  boafted  monuments  of 
Roman  grandeur;  which,  according  to  the 
fond  admirers  of  antiquity,  would  have  baffled 
the  flcill  of  modern  mechanics;  and  were 
alone  fufficient  to  render  confpicuous  the  reign 
of  the  mofl:  degenerate  emperors. 

The  pedeflal,  however,  though  fl:ill  of  pro- 
digious magnitude,  is  far  from  retaining  its 
original  dimenfions ;  as,  in  order  to  form  a 
proper  ftation  for  the  fl:atue,  and  to  reprefent 
an  afcent,  the  fummit  whereof  the  horfe  is  en- 
deavouring to  attain,  its  bulk  has  been  necef- 
iarily  diminifhed.  But  I  could  not  obferve, 
without  regret,  that  the  artift  has  been  defirous 
to  improve  upon  nature ;  and  in  order  to  pro- 
duce 


^84        TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.         B.4; 

ducc  a  refemblancc  of  an  abrupt  broken  pre- 
cipice, has  been  too  lavifh  of  the  chiflfeL 
Near  it  was  a  model  in  plafter,  to  the  ihape  of 
which  the  workmen  were  fafhioning  the  pe- 
^eftal.  It  appeared  to  me,  that  in  this  model 
the  art  was  too  confpicuous;  and  that  the 
eflfeft  would  have  been  far  more  fublime,  if  the 
ftone  had  been  left  as  much  as  poflible  in  its 
rude  ftate^  a  vaft  unwieldy  flupendous  mafs- 
And  indeed,  unlefs  I  am  greatly  miftaken,  the 
pedeftal,  when  finifhcd  according  to  this  plan, 
will  have  fcarcely  breadth  fufficient  to  afford 
a  proper  bafe  for  a  llatue  of  fuch  Coloflal 
iize  *. 

Having  pafled  fevcral  months  in  Ruflia,  I 
fhall  here  throw  together  fuch  fadls  and  obfer- 
vations  as  occurred  to  me  concerning  the  ftatc 
of  the  weather,  and  the  effeds  of  the  cold  in 
this  fevere  climate* 

♦  The  ftatue  was  erc<aed  on  the  pedeftal  on  Hhe  27th  of 
Auguft,  1782.  The  ceremony  was  performed  with  great 
folemnity,  and  was  accompanied  with  a  folemn  inaugura- 
tion. At  the  fame  time  the  emprefs  ifEied  a  proclamation, 
in  which,  among  other  inftances  of  her  demency,  fhe 
pardons  all  criminals  under  fentence  of  death  ;  all  deferters, 
iwho  ftiould  return  to  their  refpeflive  corps  within  a  limit- 
ed time ;  and  releafes  all  criminals  condemned  to  haid  Ia« 
l>our,  provided  they  had  not  been  guilty  of  murder. 

During 


C^  J.  F  E  T  £  R  SB  XT  R  G  IT*  2?^ 

During  our  journey  from  Mofcow  to  Pe- 
terfburgh,  in  the  month  of  September^  we 
found  the  weather  very  changeable,,  the  au- 
tumnal rains  being  extremely  frequent  and 
heavy  ^^    The  mornings  and  evenings  were 

*  IiV  30  dsLys  it  rained  24 ;,  and  the  quantity  of  water 
which  fcH  at  St.  Peteriburgh  in  the  month  of  September 
O.  S»  w^  ccpial  to  24  Englifh  inches  in  depth. 

From  accurate  obfervations  during  fourteen  jears  to^ 
afcertain  the  quantity  of  rain  and  fnow  which  fell  at  St.  Pe- 
ferfburghy  the  refult  was,  that  the  average  annual  duration 
of  fnowy  and  rainy  weather  was  equal  ta'42  times  24  houry, 
©r  Something  lefs  than  the  ninth  part  of  the  year.  From 
a:  courfe  of  ten  years  obferyations  it  appeared,  that  rain 
fcU  during  fome  part  of  103  dap,  and  fnow  during  Cbme 
part  of  72  5  and  that  if  the  year  was  divided  into  twelve  parts,, 
a  fourth  was  fine  weather,  a  third  rain,  and  a  fifth  fnoW» 

The  whole  quantity  of  rain  and  fnow  water,  taken  to- 

tiier,  which  fell  in  the  courfe  of  a  year,,  was  in  the.  following 

jproportion  :> 

January  -  «  .. 

February  -  -  - 

March    *  - 

April      -  -  -  « 

May       -  -  -  - 

June       -  -  -  - 

July       .  .  .  - 

Augufl  -  -  -  - 

September  ... 

OaoBer  -  t 

November  -  -  . 

December  -  —  «*  . 

22,345J 

The  average  quantity  of  rain,  which  falls  in  London 
in  the  courfe  of  a  year  is  equal  to  1 9)241. 

extremely 


0,979" 

1 

0,979 

0,801 

1,246 

h235 

; 

3>"6 

2,760 
2,671 

►•Inches, 

3.473 

2,493 

1^513 

r 

0,979 

it86        TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.         B.  4. 

extremely  cold ;  and,  whenever  it  did  not  rain, 
we  generally  obferVed  that  the  grafs  and  trees 
were  covered  with  a  white  froft.  Upon  our 
arrival  at  Peterfburgh  on  the  29th  of  Septem- 
ber N.  S»  the  winter  was  not  yet  fet  in :  in 
Odtober  the  weather,  for  the  firft  twenty  days, 
was  the  moft  part  rainy ;  and  the  mercury,  in 
Fahrenheit's  thermometer,  was  feldom  below 
freezing  point,  and  moflly  fludhiated  between 
32  and  44.  The  firfl  fnow  made  its  appear-r 
ance  in  fleet  on  the  9th,  and  the  following  day 
it  came  down  in  flakes  and  in  large  quanti- 
ties :  on  the  24th  the  mercury  fuddenly  funk 
to  25 ;  but  in  the  enfuing  morning  it  rofe 
above  freezing  point ;  there  xame  a  fudden 
thaw ';  and  all  the  fnow  diiappeared  in  a  few 
hours.  The  fummer  and  winter  are  not,  as 
in  our  climate,  gradually  divided  by  a  ipring 
and  autumn  of  any  length,  but  feem  almoft 
to  fucceed  each  other. 

On  the   15th  of  November  the  Neva* 

was 

*  The  freezing  of  the  Neva  is  not  attended  with  any 
peculiarities  which  diftinguifh  it  from  other  rivers.  The 
following  circumftances,  which  fell  under  my  obfervation, 
are  extracted  from  my  journal. 

Monday  morning,  Nov.  9.  On  Saturday  the  7th,  fmall 
pieces  of  ice,  which  came  from  the  lake  Ladoga,  were-firft 
obferved  floating  with  the  ftream :  the  fame  day  in  the 
Opening  the  i)ridge  of  boats  was  removed,  as  in  thefe  cafes 


t.  j[.  P  E  T  E  R   S  B  U  R  G  H.  287 

was  entirely  frozen  :  foon  afterwards  the  Gulf 
of  Finland  was  covered  with  ice ;  and  fledgesr 

they  coile£l  and  would  carry  it  away.  Yefterday  the 
pieces  of  ice  were  more  frequent  and  mafly :  to-day  they 
are  fmall  floating  iflands,  which  almoft  cover  the  river ; 
the  fides  of  the  Neva  are  frozen  only  a  few  feet  ftom  the 
banks :  all  the  canals  arc  covered  with  ice,  and  ppople  are 
fcating  upon  them.  / 

Nov.  12  and  13,  The  Neva  is  frozen  above  the  place 
where  the  bridge  was  Rationed  by  the  pieces  of  ice  which 
have  united  and  barred  the  paflage :  below  it  the  ftream  is 
perfeftly  free  from  any  floating  mafl!es,  and  the  river  is 
open  for  boats,  which  are  continually  pafling  to  and  fro* 

Nov.  13.  The  bridge  of  boats  is  again  replaced,  as 
there  is  no  longer  any  danger  of  its  being  carried  zwslj 
by  the  floating  mafies  of  iee  ;  and  will  continue  during  the 
whole  winter,  a  circumftance  which  has  not  happened 
fince  the  foundation  of  Peterfburgh. 

Nov.  15.  The  river  about  and  below  the  bridge  is 
entirely  frozen,  and  I  faw  perfons  walking  acrofs  it.  I  am 
informed  that  yefterday  the  ice  was  ftrong  enough  to 
bear  foot  pafl[engers ;  this  will  convey  fome  idea  of  the 
feverity  ©f  the  weather  in  this  climate ;  as  the  rapid  current 
was  open  on  the  13th,  and  on  the  next  day  was  frozen. 

Table  of  the  freezing  and  thawing  of  the  Neva  for  five 
fucceflive  years,  from  Profeflbr  Kraft's  Obfervations : 


April, 


Nov. 


1773- 

New  Style 
Old  Style 


I     1774. 
161  April       21 

47  May  2 


»7 
3£ 


1775 


,1 


May 


xS 


22 


12 
23 


1776. 


May 


2i 
6 

12 


n77- 


May 


Dec. 


JO 
IX 

26 

7 


Open  217  days, 


200 


5104 


201 


See  Nov.  Ac  Pet.  for  1777,    P.  II,  p.  73. 


2ZQ 


began 


/ 


288         TRAVELS    IKTO    RUSSIA.       B.  4^ 

began  to  pafs  from  Pcterfburgh  to  Cronftadt, 
the  road  being  marked  over  the  furface  by  rows 
of  trees. 

I  found,  that  even  during  the  months  of 
December  and  January,  the  weather  was  ex- 
tremely changeable,  as  it  fhifted  in  a  very 
fudden  manner  from  a  fevere  froil  to  a  thaw : 
and  the  mercury  in  the  thermometer  often  rofe 
within  the  courfe  of  twenty  hours  from  20 
to  34 ;  and  funk  again  as  rapidly  in  the  fame 
fpace  of  time.  Although  I  examined  th^  ther- 
mometer every  day ;  yet  I  did  not  attempt  to 
ibrm  a  feries  of  regular  obfervations,  which 
I  now  very  much  regret.  I  occafionally,  in- 
deed, made  a  few  remarks,  which  I  ihall 
infert  in  a  note,  as  I  find  them  fcattcred  in 
my  journal :  they  will  tend  to  confirm  the 
truth  of  what  I  have  advanced  in  relation 
to  the  change  of  weather  obfervable  at  Pe- 
terfhurgh ;  and  wiU  ferve  to  contradid:  thofe 
authors  who  have  aflerted  that>  as  foon  as  the 
hard  frol|  commences,  the  cold  continues 
with  uniform  feverity,  and  with  little  varia- 
tion, during  the  whole  feafon  *. 

When 

*  Nov.  16.  To-day  a  thaw  ;  the  fbermometer  mounted 
to  40 :  in  the  evening  iharp  froft  again  5  the  mercury  &I1« 
ing  to  20. 

Nov.  23* 


AEUSSIAS  GEHTLEMANin»WlNTEKDKESS. 


€.3"  PET  E  R  3  B  U  R  O  H.  289 

When  the  froft  wais  not  very  fevere,  namely, 

when  the  mercury  in  Fahrenheit's   thermo- 

walked 

en  the 

cold 

thav  and 
from  33 

15th  and 


e  time, 
point, 
arp  froft 

thcrmo- 

g  point; 


9.  Thermometer  at  —  7^ ;  tiia  barometer  mounted  fud- 
Jcnly  very  high  fmce  laft  night. 

10.  Early  this  morning  the  thermometer  at  —  23,  and 
at  II  at  —  20^,  Barometer  at  30^%.  The  finoke  of 
the  chimnies  was  preiled  down  to  the  ground. 

11.  Thermometer  at  —  28,  according  to  my  own  ob- 
fervation,  at  ten  in  the  morning :  but  earlier  the  mercury 
had  funk  to  —  31^  or  63I  below  freezing  point, 

15'  Thermometer,  fmcc  the  nth,  rofe  gradually;  on 
the  t2th  in  the  morning  it  Aood  at  —  13 ;  from  thence  it 
fell  tQ  0,  to  15 ;  and  ta-day  it  ■*  ^ve  freezing  point. 

Vol.  II.  U  Mcteoro- 


290         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  4.4 

cold  was  more  intenfe,  I  was  dreflfed  in  the 
manner  of  the  natives;   and  wore,   in  my 

Meteorological  Journal  during  four  months,  O.  S.  from 
the  Obfcrvations  in  the  Academy  of  Sciences  at  St. 
Peterlburgl^  1778. 

Oi^ober  i.  Cloudy,  fnow  iagreat  quantity* 

2.  Cloudy,  fnow. 

3.  Cloudy,  fnow. 

4.  Partly  clear,  partly  fiiow. 

5.  Cloudy,  fnow,  windy  W, 

6.  fnow. 

7.  Cloudy,  (how  and  rain. 

9.  fnow,  windy  S.  W. 

10.  Stormy  S.  W. 

11.  Rain. 

12.  Cloudy,  fnow,  windy  S. 

13.  Windy,  N.  W.  . 

14.  Cloudy,  violent  rain,  ftormy  S. 

15.  Cloudy,  fnow,  windy  S.  W; 

16.  Clear. 
17. 

1 8.  Snow. 

19.  Cloiufy. 

20.  Cloudy,  fnow. 

21.  Foggy,  rain. 

22.  Cloudy,  rain. 
23. 

24. 

25.  Clear. 

26.  Clear. 

27.  Clear. 

28.  Cloudy. 

29.  Cloudy,  fiiow. 
30. 

31.  Clou^,  (how* 

> 


c.  3.-       .  f  f  '^  I?  ^  *  ?  ^  ^  9  H.  29J 

or  }grS!^  ^1*  P^o^9  ^ur  l^ts^  Of  ihQ6§,  a  bl^c]|; 
veivct  or  fur  bonnet,  that  prevented  the  froft 
from  nipping  my  ears,  the  part  which  I  found 
the  moil  liable  to  be  afie^ed.     During  ^ree 

ckys>, 

NovcmJbcr  i.  Windy  S.  E.  fiiov, 

a.  Windy  S.  E.  cloudy. 

3.  Windy  S.  E.  cloudy^  ihow. 

•*•  4.  Windy  S .  cloudy,  liiow  in  gr^t  quantity* 

5.  Cloudy,  fnow  in  great  quantity. 

6.  Cloudy,  fnow  in  great  quanjtity. 

7.  Cloudy,  fnow. 

8.  Cloudy,  fiiow. 

9.  Windy  N".  W. 

10.  Windy  N.  W.  fiiow. 

11.  Cloudy,  fnow. 

12.  Windy  S.  E.  cleariffa,  fiiOMT- 

13.  Cloudy,  ftormy  S.  W.  rain,  CioWi; 

14.  Cloudy. 

15.  Cleariflj, 

16.  Clearifh. 

17.  Windy  S.  E.  cloudy. 
10.  Cloudy,  rain. 

19.  Windy  S.  E.  cloudy^  fnow*    * 

20.  Cloudy,  fiiow. 

21.  Cloudy,  fnow* 

22.  Cloudy,  foggy,  fiiow. 

23.  Cloudy. 

24.  Cloudy,  foggy. 

25.  Clearifh. 

26.  Windy  S.  E.  clearifh. 

27.  Stormy  S.  cloudy. 

28.  Cloudy,  ihow.    . 

29.  Windy  29  N.  clearifh. 
JP,  Windy  30  N.  W^.  clwiOl. 

U  2  Pcccmbet 


^ 


292        TRAVELS    INTO    RUSS^IA.         B".  4* 

days,  namely,  on  Ae  9th,  loth,  and  nth  of 
January,   the  froft  was   nearly  *  as    intoife^ 

as 


/  1 


December  !•  Cloudy,  (how,  ftormy  S.  W* 

2.  Cloudy,  fnow. 

3.  Cloudy,  rain,  fnow. 

4.  Cloudy. 

5.  Cloudy,  much  fnow,  windy  N.  E» 

6.  Windy  N.  W.    . 
\  Clear. 

Cloudy,  rain,  fiiow,  ftormy  S.  W,  inni 
(hifted  to  £. 
9.  Cloudy,  ftormy  W. 
ID.  Cloudy,  foggy,  ftormy  W. 

11.  Windy  W. 

12.  Snow,  windy  N,  W. 

13.  Windy  N.W. 

14.  Windy  N.  W. 


i: 


II: 


Clear,  ftormy  W, 


17.  Rain,  fnow. 

10.  Rain,  fnow,  windy  S. 

19.  Snow,  windy  S. 

20.  Much  fiiow,  windy  S.  £• 

2i>  Cloudy.  , 

22.  Windy  N.  E. 

23.  Snow,  windy  W, 

24.  Cloudy,  fnow. 

25.  Cloudy,  fiiow. 

26.  Snow,  ftormy  S.  £• 

27.  Clear.       .  , 
28. 

29.  Cloudy,  fiiow,  windy  N.  W. 

30.  Clear,  fnow,  windy  W .  ^ 

31.  Much  fiiow,  windy  W. 

•  The  wintef  in  which  profeflbr  Braun  congeled  auickfilvery  the 
cold  was  fa  intenfc,  that  De  Liile's  Thermometer  funk  to  1941  aee  in 
Ifahrtnheit't  to  —  33,  or  65  \|eiow  fizzing  point. 

9  January 


C.  3.  PETERSBURG  K.-  293 

as  it  had  ev^r  been  felt  at  Peterfbur^;  the 
mercury  in  the  thermcnneter  falling  at  one 
time  to  63  below  freezing  point,  or—  31* 
This  cold,  however,  did  not  detain  me  at 
home ;  but  I  walked  out,  as  ufual,  with  no 
other  precaution  than  my  pelijfe^  boots,  and 

* 

January  i.  Snow,  ftormy  S.  W. 

2.  Snow. 

3.  Foggy,  (how. 
4*  Snow. 

5.  Cloudy,  fnow,  windy  S.  W, 

6.  Windy  N. 

7.  Snow,  windy  N. 

8.  Clear.  *      ' 

9.  Foggy,  clear. 

10.  Clear. 

11.  Clear,  foggy. 

12.  Foggv. 

13.  Cloudy,  windy  S. 

14.  Cloudy,  fnow. 

15.  Cloudy,  windy  S.  W. 

16.  Cloudy,  ftormy  S.  W# 

17.  Cloudy,  fnow,  windy  S.  W. 

18.  Cloudy,  foggy. 

19.  Cloudy,  fnow,  windy  W. 

20.  Cloudy,  fnow,  ftormy  S.  W. 

21.  Cloudy,  fnow,  windy  S.  W. 

22.  Snow. 

^3*  Foggy- 

24.  Cloudy,  {how. 

25.  Stormy  W. 

26.  Cloudy,  windy  W. 

27.  Snow. 
28. 

29.  Foggy,  windy  W» 

30.  Stormy  N.  W»  - 

31.  Clear. 

U3  ^  cap,. 


^94      tRaVIels  t'k^S  %us8ia.     %,^. 
cap,  arid  feuftd  it  by  no  meattfi  ittqjIcJdEint, 
tht  fun  flunirig  with  grtit  bVightnfcfS'.    \As 
I  traverfed  the  city  oh  the  irtbrhfog  'of  rite 
I2thi  I  obfcrved  fevtJral  perfbris  \*rh»fe  Sides 
had  teen  bitten  by  the  froft :  fheir  checks  h^ 
Ja^ge  fears,  and  appeared  as  'if  they  had  been 
finged  with  an  hot  iron.     As  I  was  walking 
with  an  EngHfh  gcritlcinan,  who,  inlledd  tif  a 
fur  cap,  had  put  on  a  common  hat,  his  ears 
-Were  fuddenly  frozen:  he 
would  not  have  perceived 
if  a  Ruffian,  in  paffing  bj 
him  of  it  *,  and  aflifted 
part  affeded  with  fnow, 
was   inftantly   recovered, 
with  flannel,  is  the  ufual 
the  pcrfon  in  that  ftate  a 
dip  the  part  in  wanh  we 
mortifies  and  drops  off. 

The  cdmmoij  people 
work  as  ufual,  arid  the  i 
ftreets-'ttdth  their  iledges  1 
by  the  froft ;  their  beards 
clotted  ice  j  and  the  horfeS  were  covered  with 
ificles.     The  people  (iid  'nbt    (eVen  during 

*  The  part  frozen  always  t:irms'^itfte*Kite,'a  fymptom 
wcllknown,  and  immediately jpCrctivW ty "the  Ruffians. 

■     J  this 


TH.Ifii^irutr ,  Icji^Uf/fT- 


ARUSSIANIh.WINTEKDKESS  . 


<^..3.  PETERSBUR  G  H.  295 

this   extreme  cold)    add    to    their  ordinary 
cloadiing ;  which  is  ^t  all  times  well  calcu- 
lated for  the  fcverities  of  their  climate.    They 
are  careful    in    preferving    their  extremities 
againft    the   cold,    by  covering   their  legs, 
hands,    and  head,   with  fur.     Their  upper 
garment  of  (heep-ikin,  with  the  wool  turned 
inwards,  is  tied  round  the  waift  with  a  fafli ; 
but  their  neck  is  quite  bare,  and  their  breaft 
only  covered  with  a  coarfe  fhirt :  thefe  parts, 
however,   are  well  guarded  by  their  beard, 
.which  is,  for  tlut  reafon,  of  great  ufc  in  this 
country.     I    obfervcd    with  much    furprife, 
that  even  at  this  time  feveral  women  were 
engaged  in  wafhing  upon  the  Neva  pr  on  the 
canals.     They  cut  holes  in  the  ice  with  a 
hatchet;  dipped  their  linen  into  the  water 
with  their  bare  hands ;  and  then  beat  it  with 
flat  fticks.     During  this  operation   the  ioe 
continually  formed  ^in ;    and    they  were 
conftantly  employed    in    clearing   it    away. 
Many  of  them   pafled  two   hours   without 
intermiffion  at  Ais  work,  when  the  thermo- 
meter was  at  ^  below  freezing  point;   a 
circumftance  which  proves  that  the  human 
body  may  be  brought  to  endure  all  extremes. 

It  fometimes   happens   that  coachmen  or 
fervants,    while  they  are  waiting  for   their 

U  4  mailers. 


296         TRAVELS    INTO   RUSSIA.        8,4. 

mafters^  are  frozen  to  dea&.  In  order  to 
prevent  as  much  as  poffible  thefe  dreadful 
accidents,  great  fires  of  whole  trees,  piled 
one  upon  another,  are  kindled  in  the  court- 
yard of  the  palace,  and  the  moft  frequented 
parts  of  the  town.  As  the  flames  bkzed 
above  the  tops  of  the  houfes,  and  caft  a 
glare  to  a  confiderable  diftance;  I  was  fre- 
quently much  amufcd  by  contemplating  the 
pidturefque  groups  of  Ruffians,  with  their 
Afiatic  drefs  and  long  beards,  afiembled 
round  the  fire.  The  centinels  upon  duty, 
having  no  beards,  which  are  of  great  ufc  to 
proteft  the  glands  of  the  throat,  generally  tic 
handkerchiefs  under  their  chins  * ;  and  cover 
their  ears  with  fmall  cafes. of  flannel. 

Nothing  can  be  more  lively  and  diverfified 
than  the  winter  fcenes  upon  the  Neva ;  and 
fcarcely  a  day  pafled  that  I  did  not  take  my 
morning  walk,  or  drive  in  a  fledge  upon  that 
river.  Many  carriages  and  fledges,  and  num- 
berlefs  foot  paflengers  perpetually  crofling  it, 
afford  a  conflant  fiicceflion  of  moving  objeds ; 
and  the  ice  is  alfo  covered  with  different 
groups  of  people,  diiper&d  or  gathered  toge- 
ther, and  varioufly  employed  as  their  fancy 

*  The  women  ufe  alfo  this  precaution. 

leads 


ۥ3*  P  E  T  E  R  6  B  U  R  O  H.  297 

leads  them.  In  one  part  there  are  feveral 
long  areas  railed  off  for  the  purpofe  of  fcating  ; 
a  little  further  is  an  enclofure,  wherein  a  no- 
bleman is  training  his  horfcs,  and  teaching 
them  the  various  evolutions  of  the  manage. 
In  another  part  the  croud  are  Ipeftators  of 
what  is  called  a  fledge  race.  The  courfe 
is  an  oblong  fpace  about  the  length  of  a  mile, 
and  fufficiently  broad  to  turn  the  carriage. 
It  can  hardly  be  denominated  a  race,  for 
there  is  only  a  fingle  fledge  drawn  by  two 
horfes ;  and  the  whole  art  of  the  driver  confifts 
in  making  the  fhaft-horfe  trot  as  fafl:  as  he 
can,  while  the  other  is  puflied  into  a  gallop. 

The  ice-hills  are  exceedingly  common,  and 
afford  a  perpetual  fund  of  amufement  to  the 
populace.  They  are  conftirufted  in  thp  fol- 
lowing manner :  a  fcaffolding  is  raifed  upon 
the  river  about  thirty  fcQt  in  height,  with  a 
landing  place  on  the  top,  the  afcent  to  which 
is  by  a  ladder.  From  this  fummit  a  floping 
plain  of  boards,  about  four  yards  broad  and 
thirty  long,  defcends  to  the  fuperficies  of  the 
jriver :  it  -is  fupported  by  fl:rong  poles  gra- 
dually decreafing  in  height,  and  its  fides  are 
defended  by  a  parapet  of  planks.  Upon 
thefe  boards  are  laid  fquare  maffes  of  ice 
about  four  inches   thick,   which  being  firft 

fmoothed 


I9S         TRAYELS    INTO    KVSStA.        b,  ^ 

fmoothed  widh  the  axe  and  laid  cloie  to  cadi 
cther^  are  thai  fprinkled  with  water :  by  thefe 
meafts  they  coalcice,  and^  adhering  to  the 
boards^  immediately  form  an  inclined  plain 
of  pure  ice.  From  the  bottom  of  this  plain 
the  fiiow  is  cleared  away  for  the  length  of 
200  yards  and  the  breadth  of  four^  upon 
the  level  bed  of  the  river)  and  the  fides  of 
this  courie^  as  well  as  the  fides  and  top  of 
the  fcafiblding>  are  ornamented  with  firs  and 
pines.  Each  perfon,  being  provided  with 
a  fledge  ^9  mounts  the  ladder  5  and>  having 
attained  the  fammit>  he  ieats  himfelf  upon 
his  fledge  at  the  upper  extremity  of  the  in^ 
clined  plain,  down  which  he  fuffers  it  to 
glide  with  confiderable  rapidity,  poifing  it  as 
he  goes  down ;  when  the.  velocity,  acquired 
by  the  defcent,  carries  it  above  100  yattfe 
upon  the  level  ice  of  the  river*  At  ^he 
end  of  this  courfe>  there  is  ufually  a  fimiiar 
ke-hill,  neariy  parallel  to  the  former,  which 
begins  where  the  other  ends ;  fb  that  dhc 
perfon  immediately  mounts  again,  and>  in  die 
feme  manner,  glides  down  the  other  inciineil 
plain  of  ice.     This  diverfion  he  repea;ts  ns 

♦  Somcdiing  like  a  butcher's  traj^  as  Dr.  King  juil^ 
obferves  in  kis  ingenious  pamphlet  on  the  efFeds  of  cold  in 
Ruflia, 

ofteri 


^.  P  PETERSBURG  H.  299 

^ten  as  Jic  pleafes.  I  have  frequently  flood 
fcr  above  an  hour  ^t  the  bottom  of  thcfe  ice- 
ItHls^  obferving  the  fledges  following  each 
ether  with  ihcoliceivable  rapidity;  but  I 
never  had  the  courage  myfelf  to  try  the  expe-> 
rimerit.  The  only  difficulty  confifts  in  fleer- 
ihg  and  Jxiifihg  the  fledge  as  it  is  hurried 
down  the  inclined  plain ;  for  if  the  perfoa 
who  fits  upon  it  is  not  fleady,  but  totters 
cither  through  inadvertence  or  fear,  he  is 
liable  to  be  overturned,  and  runs  no  fmall 
rifk  of  breaking  his  bones,  if  not  his  neck. 
Arid,  as  one  failure  might  have  proved  fatal, 
I  contented  myfelf  with  feeing  others  engaged 
^in  the  divcrfion  without  partaking  of  it  my- 
^felf.  The  boys  alfo  continually  amufe  ihem- 
felves  in  feating  down  thefe  hills  :  they  glide 
chiefly  upon  onfe  fcate,  being  better  able  to 
prefervc  thdr  proper  poife  upon  one  leg  than 
upon  two.  Thefe  ice-hills  achibit  a  pleafing 
appearance  upon  the  river ;  as  well  from  the 
trees  with  ^hich  they  are  ornamented,  as  from 
the  moving  objeSs  which,  at  particular  times 
of  the  day,  -ar^  defcending  without  intermif- 

The  feiarket  up6n  the  Neva  is  too  remark- 
able to  be  omitted.  At  the  ccnclufion  of 
the  long  fafl  >  ^hich  clofes  on  the  24th  of 

December, 


300         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA*       B.  4. 

December,  O.  S.  the  Rujflians  lay-in  their 
provifions  for  the  remaining  part  of  the  win- 
ter. For  this  purpofe  an  annual  market, 
which  lafts  three  days,  is  held  upon  the  river 
near  the  fortrefs.  A  long  ftreet,  above  a  mile 
in  length,  was  lined  on  each  fide  with  an 
immenfe  ftore  of  provifions,  fufficieat  for  the 
fupply  of  the  capital  during  the  three  follow- 
ing months.  Many  thoufand  raw  carcafes 
of  oxen,  fheep,  hogs,  pigs,  together  with  geeky 
fowls,  and  every  fpecies  of  frozen  fopd,  were 
expofed  for  fale.  The  larger  quadrupeds  were 
grouped  in  various  circles  upright,  their  higd 
legs  fixed  in  the  fnow,  with  their  heads  and 
fore  legs  turned  towards  each  other.  Tlwfe 
towered  above  the  refl:,  •  and  occupied  the 
hindermofl:  row:  next  to  them  fucceeded  a 
regular  feries  of  animals,  defending  gradually 
to  the  fmalleft,  intermixed  with  poultry  and 
game  hanging  in  fefl:oons,  and  garniflied  with 
heaps  of  fifli,  butter,  and  eggs,  I  foon  per- 
ceived, from  the  profufioh  of  partridges, 
pheafants,  moorfowl,  and  cocks^  of  the  wood, 
that  there  were  no  laws  in  this  country  which 
prohibited  the  felling  of  game.  I  obfervcd 
^Ifo  the  truth  of  what  has  been  fi-equently 
aflerted,  that  many  of  the  birds,  as  well  as 
ieveral  animals,  in  thefe  northern  regions,l>e- 

comc 


C*  3*  P  E  T  E  R  S  B  i;  R  G  H,  301 

come  white  in  winter,  many  hundred  black 
cocks  being  changed '  to  that  colour ;  and 
fome,  which  had  been  taken  before  they  had 
completed  their  metamorphofis ^  exhibited  a  va'j^ 
riegated  mixture  of  black  and  white  plumage. 

The  moft  diftant  quarters  contributed  to 
fupply  this  vaft  ftore  of  provifions ;  and  the 
lineft  veal  had  been  fent  by  land-carriage  as 
far  as  from  Archangel,  which  is  fituated  at 
the  diftance  of  830  miles  from  Peterfburgh ; 
yet  every  fpecies  of  food  is  furprizingly  cheap : 
beef  was  fold  at  id.  the  Ruffian  pound *, 
pork  at  five  farthings,  and  mutton  at  i\d.\ 
a  goofe  for  \od.  and  a  pig  for  %d.  and  all 
other  articles  as  reafonable  in  proportion. 
In  order  to  render  this  frozen  food  fit  for 
dreffing,  \X  is  firft  thawed  in  cold  water. 

♦  A  Ruffian  pound  contains  14  puncjPS  and  !• 


CHAP. 


302         TRAVELS    INT0   RUSSIA.       5.4, 


Prefentatiott  t< 

-Mqfqueradi 
ders  of  in 
called  the 
Emprefs'f 
hejpiiality.- 
liih  mercba 

ONthc: 
bctwcc 
our  minifler, 
iag  room,  iti  ^ 

It  was  luckily  the  name-day,  or»  as  we  term 
it,  the  birth-day  of  the  Great-duke,  m  honour 
of  whom  a  moft  brilliant  court  was  aflembled. 
At  the  entrance  into  the  drawing  room  ftood 
two  centinels  of  4Jie  foot-guards :  their  uni- 
form was  a  green  coat,  with  a  red  <:uf  «id 
cape,  and  white  waiilcoat  and  breeches ;  they 
had  £Iyer  helmets  &Aened  under  the  chin, 
with  £lver  clafps,  and  ornamented  wltli  an 
ample  plume  of  red,  yellow,  black,  and  white 
feathers.  Within  the  drawing  room,  at  the 
doors  of  the  palTage  leading  to  her  majeAy's 
apartments,  were  two  foldiers  of  the  knights 
body- 


^.4-  PBTERSBUROH*  303 

body-guard ;  a  corps  perhaps  more  fiimptu- 
oufly  accoutred  than  any  in  Europe*  They 
wore  cafques,  like  thofe  of  the  an^ients^  with 
a  rich  plumage  of  black  feathers,  and  their 
whcde  drefs  was  in  the  fame  ftyle  :  chains  an4 
broad  plates  of  folid  filver  were  braided  oyer 
their  uniforms,  fb  as  to  bear  the  appear*- 
ance  of  a  fplendid  coat  of  mi^;  and  their 
boots  were  richly  ornamented  with  the  fame 
HietaL 

In  the  drawing  room  we  found  a  numerous 
aflfenbly  of  fordgn  minifters.  Ruffian  nobility^ 
and  officers  in  their  diflferent  uniforms,  waiti* 
ing  the  arrival  of  the  emprefs,  who  was  at* 
tending  divine  fervice  in  the  chapel  of  the 
palace,  whither  we  alfo  repaired.  Amid  a 
prodigious  concourfe  of  nobles,  I  obferved 
the  empr^fs  ftanding  by  herfelf  behind  a  rail- 
ing ;  the  only  diftindion  by  which  her  place 
was  marked.-  Immediately  next  to  her  Hood 
the  great-duke  and  duchefs ;  and  behind  an 
indiicriminate  throng  of  courtiers.  The  em* 
jprefe  bowed  repeatedly,  and  frequently  crofled 
herfelf,  accordmg  to  the  forms  ufed  in  the 
Greek  church,  with  great  expreilions  of  de* 
motion.  Before  ihe  conclufion  of  the  fervice 
weteturned  to  the  drawing  room ;  and  took 
our  ftation  ^near  the  door,  in  order  to  be  pre^ 
Jfented  at  her  majefty's  entrance.  At  length, 
3  a  little 


^64         TRAVELS    lUro   RtJSStA*        8*44 

a  little  before  twd ve,  the  chief  officers  of  the 
houfehold,  the  miftrefs  of  the  robes,  the  maids 
of  honour,  and  other  ladies  of  the  bed  cham- 
ber, advancing  two  by  two  in  a  long  train, 
announced  the  approach  of  their  fovereign. 
Her  majefty  came  forward  with  a  flow  and 
folemn  pace;  walking  with  great  pomp; 
holding  her  head  very  high ;  and  perpetually 
bowing  to  the  right  and  to  the  left  as  flic 
pafled  along.  She  fl:opped  a  little  way  within 
the  entrance  of  the  drawing  room,  and  fpoke 
with  great  afiability  to  the  foreign  minifl:ers 
while  they  kiflfed  her  hand.  She  then  advanc- 
ed a  few  fteps,  and  we  were  fingly  prefented  by 
the  vice-chancellor  Count  Ofl:erman,  and  had 
the  honour  of  kiffing  her  majefl:y's  hand. 
The  emprefs  wore,  according  to  her  ufual 
cuftom,  a  Ruflian  drefs ;  it  was  a  robe  with 
a  fliort  train,  and  a  vefl:  with  fleeves  reaching 
to  the  wrift,  like  a  Polonaife;  the  vefl:  was  of 
gold  brocade,  and  the  robe  was  of  light  green 
filk;  her  hair  was  drefled  low,  and  lightly 
fprinkled  with  powder;  her  cap  ornament«i 
with  a  profufion  of  diamonds ;  and  (he  wore 
a  great  deal  of  rouge*  Her  peribn,  though 
rather  below  the  middle  fize,  is  majeftic ;  and 
her  countenance,  particularly  when  flie  fpeaks, 
cxprefles  both    dignity  and  fwectnefs-     She 

walked 


C.  4^  P  E  T  E  R  S  B  U  R  G  H.  305 

walked  flowly  through  the  drawing  room  to 
her  apartment,  and  entered  alone.  The  great- 
duke  and  duchefs  followed  the  emprefs  to  the 
door,  and  then  retired  to  their  own  drawing 
room,  where  they  had  a  levee ;  but,  as  we  had 
not  yet  been  prefented  to  them  at  a  private 
audience,  we  could  not,  according  to  the  eti- 
quette of  the  Ruffian  court,  follow  them. 
The  great  dwhefs  leaned  upon  the  arm  of  his 
imperial  highnefs ;  and  they  both  inclined 
their  heads  on  either  fide  to  the  company,  as 
they  palTed  along  the  line  which  was  formed 
for  them. 

In  the  afternoon,  about  fix  o'clock,  we 
repaired  to  a  ball  at  court.  The  private  a- 
partments  of  the  emprefs,  as  well  as  thofe  in 
which  fhe  holds  her  court,  are  on  the  third 
ftory,  and  the  whole  fuitc  is  remarkably  grand 
and  fplendid.  We  found  thfe  company  aflem- 
bled  in  the  anti-chamber,  who,  as  foon  as 
the  great-duke  and  duchefs  riiade  their  appear^ 
ance,  all  entered  a  fpacious  ball-room. 

The  great-duke  opened  the  ball  by  walking 
a  minuet  with  his  confort;  at  the  end  of 
which  his  imperial  highnefs  handed  out  a 
lady,  and  the  great-duchefs  a  gentleman, 
with  whom  they  each  performed  a  fecond 
minuet  at  the  fame  time.     They  afterwards 

Vox.  II.  X  fucceffively 


■V" 


30^         TRAVELS    INTO   RUSSIA.       B.  4* 

fucccflivcly  conferred  this  honour  in  the  fwnq 
manner  upon  many  of  the  principal  nobility, 
while  feveral  other  couples  were  dancing  mi- 
nuets in  diiFerent  parts  of  the  circle :  the  mi- 
nuets were  fucceeded  by  Polifh  dances ;  and 
thefe  were  followed  by  Englifh  country- 
dances.  In  the  midil  of  the  latter  the  em- 
prefs  entered  the  room  :  fhe  was  more  richly 
apparelled  than  in  the  mornings  and  bore  upon 
her  head  a  fmall  crown  of  diamonds. 

Upon  her  majefty's  appearance  the  ball  was 
inftantly  fulpended }  while  the  great-duke  and 
duchefs,  and  the  moft  confiderable  perfons 
who  were  prefent,  haftened  to  pay  their  re- 
ipedts  to  their  fovereign :  Catharine,  having. 
addrefled  a  few  words  to  fome  of  the  princi- 
pal nobility,  afcended  a  kind  of  elevated  feat ; 
when,  the  dancing  being  again  refumed,  /he, 
after  a  fliort  time,  withdrew  into  an  inner 
apartment.  We,  in  company  with  feverd- 
courtiers,  threw  ourfelves  into  her  majefty's 
fuite,  and  formed  a  circle  rjound  a  table,  at 
which  fhe  had  fat  down  to  cards.  Her  par^ 
confifted  of  the  Duchefs  of  Courland,  Coun- 
tefs  Bruce,  Sir  James  Harris,  Prince  Potem- 
kin,  Marfhal  Razomoffki,  Count  Panin, 
Prince  Repnin,  and  Count  Ivan  Tchernichef. 
The  game  wa$  Macao ;  the  pieces  in  circu- 
lation 


ۥ4-  P  ft  T  E  R  S  B  U  R  G  H.  307 

ktion  were  imperials  *  ;  and  a  player  might 
win  or  lofe  two  or  three  hundred  pounds. 

In  the  courfe  of  the  evening  the  great-duhe 
and  duchefs  prefentcd  themfelves  before  the 
cmprefs,  and  ftood  by  the  table  for  about  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  during  which  time  her 
majefty  occafionally  entered  into  converfation 
with  them.  The  emprcfs  feemed  to  pay  very 
little  atteiitk>n  to  the  cards  j  converfcd  fatoi- 
Ikrly  and  freqtiently  with  great  vivacity,  as 
well  with  the  party  at  play,  as  with  the  pcr^ 
fens  of  rank  ftanding  near  her.  About  teh 
her  majefty  retired ;  and  foon  after  the  ball 
concluded. 

On  the  6  th  we  had  the  honour  of  being  pre- 
fented  at  a  private  audience  to  the  great^duke 
and  duchefs ;  both  of  whom  converfed  with 
us  in  the  moft  aiFablc  and  condefcending  man- 
ner :  according  to  the  etiquette  of  this  court, 
we  killed  her  imperial  highnefs's  hand. 

There  is  a  drawing  room  at  court  every 
Sunday  morning,  about  twelve  o'clock,  and 
on  other  particular  fcftivals,  at  ;which  the 
embafladors  are  ufually  prefent,  and  which  aH 
foreign  gentlemen,  who  have  been  once  pre- 
fcated,  are  permitted  to  attend.     The  cere- 

♦  An  imperial  =  ^.  a. 

X  2  mony 


308  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  4. 

mony  of  kiffing  the  emprefs's  hand  is  repeated 
every  court  day  by  foreigners  in  the  prefence 
chamber;  and  by  the  Ruffians  in  another 
apartment ;  the  latter  bend  th^ir  knee  on  this 
occafion ;  an  expreffion  of  homage  not  ex- 
ad:ed  from  the  former.  No  ladies,  excepting 
thofe  of  the  emprefs's  houfhold,  make  their 
appearance  at  the  morning  levees. 

On  every  court  day  the  great-duke  and 
duchefs  have  alfp  their  feparate  levees  at  their 
own  apartments  in  the  palace.  Upon  par- 
ticular occafions,  fuch  as  her  own  and  the 
emprefs's  birth  day,  &c.  foreigners  have  the 
honour  of  kiffing  her  imperial  highnefs's 
hand ;  but  upon  common  days  that  ceremony 
is  omitted. 

In  the  evening  of  a  court  day,  there  is  al- 
ways a  ball  at  the  palace,  which  begins  be- 
tween fix  and  feven.  At  that  time  the  foreign 
ladies  kifs  the  emprefs's  hand,  who  falutes 
them  in  return  on  the  cheek.  Her  majefty, 
unlefs  fhe  is  indifpofed,  generally  makes  her 
appearance  about  feven  ;  and,  if  the  affembly 
is  not  very  numerous,  plays  at  Macao  in  the 
ball-room ;  the  great-duke  and  duchefs,  after 
they  have  danced,  fit  down  to  whift.  ,  Their 
highneffes,  after  a.  fhort  interval,  rife;  ap- 
proach the  emprefs's  table ;  pay  their  refpefts  j 

and 


C*  4.  P  t  T  E  R  S  B  ir  R  G  H.  309 

and  then  return  to  their  game.  When  the 
ball  happens  to  be  crouded  5  the  emprefs  forms 
her  party,  as  I  have  before-mentioned.  In  an 
adjoining  room,  which  is  open  to  all  perfons 
who  have  once  been  prefented. 

The  richnefs  and  fplendour  of  the  Ruffian 
court  furpafles  defcription.  It  retains  many 
traces  of  its  antient  Afiatic  pomp,  blended 
with  European  refinement.  An  immenfe  re- 
tinue of  courtiers  always  preceded  and  followed 
the  emprefs  ;  the  coftlinefs  and  glare  of  their 
apparel,  and  a  profufion  of  precious  ftones, 
created  a  fplendour,  of  which  the  magnifi- 
cence of  other  courts  can  give  us  only  a  faint 
idea.  The  court-drefs  of  the  men  is  in  the 
French  faihion :  that  of  the  ladies  is  a  gown 
and  petticoat,  with  a  fmall  hoop ;  the  gown 
has  long  hanging-fleeves  and  a  fhort  train, 
and  is  of  a  different  colour  from  the  petticoat. 
The  ladies  wore,  according  to  the  fafhion  of 
the  winter  of  1777  at  Paris  and  London, 
very  lofty  hcad-drefles,  and  were  not  fparing 
in  the  ufe  of  rouge.  Amid  the  feveral  articles 
of  fumptuoufnefs  which  diftinguifti  the  Ruf- ' 
fian  nobility;  there  is  none  perhaps  more 
calculated  to  ftrike  a  foreigner  than  the  pro- 
fufion of  diamonds  and  other  precious  ftones, 
which  fparkle  in  e^ry  part  of  their  drefs.  In 
:    .  X  3  moil 


310        TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.         B.  4. 

moft  Other  European  oouBteies  thefe  coftly 
ornaments  are  (excepting  among  a  few  of  tfae 
richeft  and  principal  nobles)  alnEkoft  entjreiy 
appropriated  to  the  ladies ;  but  in  this  the 
men  vie  with  the  fair  fex  in  the  ufe  of  them. 
Many  of  the  nobility  wore  almoft  covered  with 
diamonds.;  their  buttons,  buckles,  hilts  of 
Iwords,  apd  epaulets,  were  compofed  of  this 
valuable  material  j  their  hats  were  freqiiently 
embroidered,  if  I  may  ufe  the  expreffion,  with 
ieveral  rows  of  them;  and  a  diamond-^ftar 
upon  the  coat  was  icarccly  a  diftmdlion. 
This  paffion  for  jewels  ieans  to  pervade  the 
lower  ranks  of  people,  for  even  private  fami- 
lies abound  with  them ;  and  the  wife  of  a 
common  Ruflian  Imrghcr  will  appear  with  a 
head-drefs  or  girdle  of  pearls,  and  other  pre-^ 
c^ous  ftones,  to  the  value  of  two  or  three  hun- 
dred pounds.  I  will  only  mttition  a  hvr 
mone  particulars ;  when  the  folemnity  of  the 
occafion  added  fome  variety  to  the  general 
fameaaefe  which  charafterifes  a  court. 

The  eo^refe,  on  days  of  high  cepenwny, 
generaltjr  wears  a  crown  of  diamonds  ^  im- 
mcftfe  ^adae ;  and  appears  with  the  ribbands 
of  the  order  of  St.  Andrew  and  Merit,  both 
of  them  flung  over  the  fame  ihoulddr,  with 
the  collars  of  thofe  orders,  and  the  two  ftars 

emblazoned 


emblazoned  one  above  the  other  upon  her 
veft* 

On  certain  annlverfarics  the  emprefs  dines 
in  public  ;  two  of  thefe  days  occurred  in  the 
courfe  of  our  ftay  at  Peterfburgh*  The  2d 
of  December  being  the  feaft  of  the  Ifinailof 
regiment  of  guards,  her  majefly,  who  as  fo- 
vereign  is  colonel  of  the  corps,  gave,  accord- 
ing to  annual  cuftom,  a  grand  entertainment 
to  the  officers.  Being  defirous  to  be  prefent, 
we  repaired  to  court  at  twelve*  Her  majefty 
was  drelTed  in  the  uniform  of  the  regiment, 
which  is  green  trimmed  with  gold  lace,  made 
in  the  form  of  a  lady's  riding  habit*  As 
fopn  as  all  the  officers  of  the  regiment  had 
kiffed  her  hand  ;  a  falver  of  wine  was  brought 
in  by  one  of  the  lords  in  waiting,  and  the  em- 
prefs prefented  a  glafs  to  each  officer,  who 
received  it  from  her  hands,  and,  after  a  low 
obeifance,  drank  it  off.  At  the  conclufion  of 
this  ceremony  her  majefly  led  the  way,  about 
one  o'clock,  into  an  adjoining  apartment,  iu 
which  a  fumptuous  dinner  was  fpread :  flie 
took  her  place  in  the  middle  of  the  table ;  and 
the  officers  were  ranged  on  each  fide  accord- 
ing to  their  refpeaive  ranks*  The  emprefs 
Helped  the  foup  herfelf ;  and  paid  the  greateft 
.attention  to  her  guefts  during^  the  whole  re- 

X  4  paft. 


012         TRAVELS    INTO   RUSSIA.        B.  4. 

pafi,  which  lafted  about  an  hour,  when  her 
majefty  rofe  from  table  and  withdrew. 

On  a  fubfequent  occaiion  we  attended  ano- 
thct  entertainment  given  by  the  emprefs  to 
the  knights  of  the  order  of  St.  Andrew.  Her 
majefty  had  on  a  robe  of  green  velvet,  lined 
and  faced  with  ermine,  and  a  diamond  collar 
of  the  order.  The  drefs  of  the  knights  was 
fplendid,  but  exceedingly  gaudy  and  inelegant. 
They  wore  a  green  velvet  robe,  lined  with 
filver  brocade,  a  coat  alfo  of  filvcr  brocade, 
waiftcoat  and  breeches  of  gold  ftuffi  red 
filk  ftockings,  a  hat  a  la  Henry  IV.  oma-. 
mented  with  a  plume  of  feathers,  and  inter- 
fperfed  with  diamonds.  As  the  order  of 
St.  Andrew  is  the  moft  honourable  in  this 
country,  it  is  confined  to  a  few  perfons  of  the 
firft  rank  and  confequence;  and  there  were 
only  twelve  of  them  at  Peterfburgh  who  fat 
down  to  diniler  with  the  emprefs  :  thefe  were 
Prince  Potemkin,  Prince  Orlof,  Marfhal  Ga- 
litzin.  Counts  Alexey  Orlof,  Panin^  Razomof- 
fki,  Ivan  Tchernichef,  Voron^of,  Alexander, 
and  Leon  Narifkin,  Munic,  and  Mr.  de  Bet- 
ikoi.  The  emprefs  before  dinner,  as  on 
the  former  occafion,  prefented  each  knight 
with  a  glafs  of  wine :  at  the  table  fhe  was 
diftinguifhed  by  a  chair  ornamented  with  the 

%  arms 


4 


C*  4*  P  E  T  E  R  S  B  U  R  G  H.  31^ 

arms  of  Ruffia,  and  prefided  with  her  ufiial 
dignity  and  condefcenfion.  The  foreign  mi- 
nifters  and  a  fplendid  train  of  courtiers  flood 
Ipedtators  of  the  entertainment;  and  many 
of  them  were  occafionally  noticed  by  the  em- 
prefs,  • 

The  order  of  St.  Andrew,  or  the  Blue  Rib- 
band, the  firft  ever  known  in  this  country, 
was  inflituted  by  Peter  I.  in  the  year  1698, 
fooa  after  his  return  from  his  firft  expedition 
into  foreign  countries  ^. 

That  of  St.  Alexander  Nevfki,  or  the  Red 
Ribband,  was  foimded  by  the  fame  fovereign, 
but  never  conferred  until  the  reign  of  Catha- 
rine I.  in  1725 -f-. 

The  order  of  St.  Anne  of  Holftein  was 
inftituted,  in  1735,  by  Charles  Frederick  duke 
of  Holftein,  in  memory  of  his  wife  Anne 
daughter  of  Peter  the  Great,  and  introduced 
into  Ruffia  by  her  fon  Peter  III.  It  is  in 
the  diipofal  of  the  great-duke  as  ibvereign  of 
Holftein.  The  knights  wear  ii  red  ribband 
bordered  with  yellow. 

The  military  order  of  St.  George,  called 
alfo  the  order  of  Merit,  and  which  has  the 
precedence  over  that  of  St.  Anne,  was  created 

♦  Weber's  Ver.  Ruff.  Part.  III..p.  i6i. 
t  Ibid.  p.  38, 

by 


314  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  4. 

by  the  prefent  emprefs  in  1769.  It  is  ap- 
propriated to  perfbns  ferving  by  land  or  by 
fea,  and,  excepting  rfie  fmall  crofs  of  the 
fourth  claft,  never  beftowed  in  time  of  peace. 
The  knights  wear  a  ribband  with  black  and 
erangeftripcs. 

This  order  is  divided  into  four  clafles  : 
V  The  knights  of  the  firfl  clafs,  called  the 
Great  Crofs,  wear  the, ribband  over  the  right 
fhoulder,  and  the  ftar  upon  the  left  fide. 
Each  receives  an  annual  falary  of  700  roubles 
=  ^.140.  The  knights  of  the  fecond  dafs 
wear  the  ftar  upon  their  left  breaft,  the  rib- 
band with  the  crofs  pendent  round  their  neck. 
Each  receives  400  roubles  =  ^.  80  fer  ann. 
The  knights  of  the  third  dafs  wear  the  fmall 
crofs  pendent  round  their  neck.  Each  re- 
ceives 200  xo!clk\t.%y  or  ^.  dp.  fer  nnn.  This 
clafs  admits  50.  The  knights  of  the  fourth 
clafs  wear  the  fmall  crofs  iaftened  by  a  rib- 
band to  the  button-hole  like  tJie  French  Croix 
de  &t.  Louis.  Each  receives  100  roubles,  or 
jT.  20  per  ann. 

The  fund  of  this  order,  affigncd  by  the  em- 
prefs for  the  payment  of  their  falaries  and 
other  expences,  is  40,000  roubles  5==X-S>ooo 
per  ann.     Of  this  1680  is  deftined  for  the 

8  firft 


C*  4*  P  E  T  E  R  S  B  U  R  G  H.  3I5 

firft  clafe ;  and  2000  for  each  of  die  remain- 
ing three. 

The  number  of  knights  is  unlimited.  In 
1778  thefir^ft  clafs,  which  is  confined  to  com- 
inanders  in  chief,  contained  only  four ;  name- 
ly, marfhal  Romanzof,  for  his  vidories  over 
the  Turks ;  Count  Alexey  Orlof,  for  burning 
the  Turkifli  fleet  at  Tchefme ;  Count  Panin, 
for  the  taking  of  Bender  5  and  Prince  Dolgp- 
raeki,  for  his  conquefts  in  the  Crimea.  The 
fecond  ekfs  comprized  only  eight  knights  i 
the  third  48  ;  and  ihc  fourth  237.  No  perr 
fon  can  obtain  this  order  without  having  per- 
^med  fome  gallant  exploit,  or  having  lerved 
with  credit  in  the  rank  of  officer  25  years  by 
land,  or  18  by  fea*. 

The  order  of  St.  Catharine,  appropriated 
to  the  ladies,  was  inftituted  in  17 14  by  Peter, 
in  honour  of  his  wife  Catharine.  The  motto 
of  ^^  Love  and  fidelity''  was  intended  to  com- 
memorate the  difplay  of  thofe  virtues  in  her 
behaviour  on  the  banks  of  the  Pruth.  This 
order  is  extremely  honourable,  as,  befide^  the 
emprefs,  the  great-duchefs,  and  a  few  foreign 
princeffes,  only  ^ve  Ruffian  ladies  were  de- 
corated with  it. 

.  ♦  See  UJ^aCc  ueb^r  die  Stiftwg  fe  St.  Georg'ii^OrJenSj 
in  Schmidts  Beytrage, 

The 


3l6         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA*         B.  4. 

The  firfl  and  moft  diftinguifhed  of  thefe 
feveral  orders  is  the  order  of  St.  Andrew, 
which,  befide  the  foVereign  princes  and  fo- 
reigners, comprized,  in  1778,  26  Ruffians; 
that  of  St.  Alexander  Nevlki  109 ;  and  that 
of  St.  Anne  208.  The  emprefs  may  alfo  be 
laid  to  have  the  difpofal  of  the  Polifh  orders 
of  the  White  Eagle  and  of  St.  Staniflaus. 

Since  our  departure  from  Ruffia  her  ma- 
jefly  founded,  on  the  4th  of  Odober,  1 782,  a 
new  order,  called  St.  Vladimir,  in  favour  of 
thofe  who  ferve  in  civil  employments ;.  and 
it  is  nearly  on  the  fame  footing  as  that  of 
St.  George  with  refped;  to  the  falaries  annex-, 
ed  to  the  different  claiTes.  There  are  to  be  ten 
great  croffes,  twenty  of  the  fecond  clafs,  thirty. 
of  the  third,  and  fixty  of  the  fourth,  befide  a 
fifth  for  thofe  who  have  ferved  35  years, 
which  gives  them  a  right  to  wear  it. 

Two  or  three  times  in  the  winter  there  are 
mafquerades  at  court,  to  which  perfbns  of  all 
ranks  are  admitted.  At  one  of  thefe  enter- 
tainments which  we  attended,  about  eight 
thoufand  tickets  were  diftributed  3  and  fi-om 
the  grieat  concourfe  I  fhould  fuppofe  that 
number  to  hav6  been  adtually  prefent.  A 
magnificent  fuite  of  twenty  apartments  were 
ppened  oil  this  occafion,  all  handfomely  illu- 
minated. 


C.  4*  P  fc  T  E  R  S  B  U  R  G  H.  317 

minated.  One  of  thefe  apartments,  a  large 
oblong  room,  the  fame  in  which  the  common 
balls  at  court  are  held,  had  a  fpace  in  the  mid- 
dle enclofed  with  a  low  railing,  appropriated 
to  the  nobility  who  danced.  A  moft  elegant 
faloon  of  an  oval  form,  called  the  great-hall 
of  Apollo,  nearly  as  big  as  the  rotunda  at 
Ranelagh,  but  without  any  fupport  in  the 
middle,  was  allotted  for  the  dances  of  the 
burghers',  and  other  perfons,  who  had  not  been 
prefented  at  court.  The  remaining  rooms, 
in  which  tea  and  other  refrefhments  were 
ferved,  were  filled  with  card-tables,  and  croud- 
ed  with  perfons  continually  paffing  and  re^- 
paffing.  The  company  either  kept  on  their 
mafks,  or  took  them  off  at  their  pleafure. 
The  nobles  in  general  wore  dominos;  the 
natives  of  inferior  rank  appeared  in  their  own 
provincial  clothes,  embellifhed,  perhaps,  with 
a  few  occafional  ornaments.  An  exhibition 
of  the  feveral  drefles  aftually  ufed  by  the  dif- 
ferent inhabitants  of  the  Ruffian  empire, 
afforded  a  greater  variety  of  motley  figures 
than  the  wildeft  fancy  ever  invented  in  the 
mafquerades  of  other  countries.  Several  mer- 
chants wives  were  decked  with  large  quanti- 
ties of  valuable  pearls,  many  of  which  were 

fpUt 


3l8        TRAVELS    IKTO    RUS-SIA.  B.  4^, 

fplk  in  halves  for  the  piu'pofe  of  making  more 
Ihow. 

Aboilt  fevcn  the  empfefs  made  her  appear- 
ance at  the  head  of  a  foperb  quadrille^  con- 
lifting  of  eight  ladies  led  by  as  many  gehtle- 
men.  Her  majefty  and  the  other  ladies  of 
this  feled  band  were  moft  fumptuoufly  appa- 
relled in  Grefek  habits;  and  the  gentlemen 
wsre  accoutred  in  the  Roman  military  garb, 
their  helmets  richly  ftudded  with  diamonds : 
anK)ng  the  ladies  I  particularly  diftinguifhed 
the  Duchefs  of  Gourland>  Princefs  Repnin, 
and  Gountefs  Bruce-  Among  the  gentlemen. 
Prince  Potemkin,  Mafihal  Ra^omoflki,  and 
Count  Ivan  Teh^rftichef.  The  emprefs  led 
the  way,  leaning  upon  the  arm  of  Marflial 
Razomofiki,  and,  paffing  in  great  ftate  through 
the  fevei^l  apartments,  walked  two  or  three 
times  round  the  hall  of  Apollo,  and  then 
fet  down  to  cards  in  one  of  the  adjoining 
r&dms  J  the  company  flocked  thither  in  crouds 
without  diftinftion,  and  arranged  themfelves 
as  th^  could  filul  admittance  round  the  table 
at  a  refpedful  diftance.  The  emprefs  with* 
drew  as  ufuttl  before  eleven* 

A  few  days  before  our  departure  from  Pe-- 
terfburgh ;  Baron  Nolken,  miniftef  from  the 
court  of  Stockholm,  gave  a  mafquerade  and 

baU 


C .  4*  P  E  T  E  R  S  B  U  R  G  H,  319 

ball  on  the  birth  of  a  fon  to  die  prefent  king 
of  Sweden,  which  the  emprefs,  great-duke 
and  duchcfs,  honoured  with  their  prefence. 
Five  hundred  perfons  of  the  nobility  were  in- 
vited, together  with  the  embaffadors,  and  other 
foreigners  who  had  been  prefcnted  at  court- 
The  ball  began  at  feven  :  the  great-duke  and 
duchefs  firft  made  their  appearance  with  a 
fmaU  fuite ;  and  foon  afterwards  her  imperial 
majefty  arrived  at  the  head  of  a  quadrille,  com-  , 
pofed  of  nearly  the  fame  perfons  as  that  juft 
defcribed  at  court.  Madame  Nolken  con- 
du<9:ed  her  majefty  and  her  party  through  the 
ball-room  to  an  inner  apartment;  where  a 
rich  canopy  was  erected  for  the  occalion, 
lunder  which  fhe  fat  down  to  Macao.  At 
nine  a  fmall  table  was  fpread,  with  little  cere^ 
mony,  for  the  emprefs  and  her  quadrille,  in  the 
fame  room  where  they  were  engaged  at  cards. 
Her  majefty,  who  never  fups,  took  nothing 
but  a  piece  of  bread  and  a  glafs  of  wine.  At 
the  fame  time  a  moft  fplendid  entertainment 
was  ferved  in  a  large  faloon  to  the  great-duke 
and  duchefs  and  the  reft  of  the  company. 
Their  imperial  highnefles  were  feated  at  a 
central  toble,  with  a  party  of  about  thirty 
perfons;  and  the  remaining  gentlemen  and 
fejdies  were  diftributed  iat  different  tables,  pla- 
ced 


n 


320         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  4, 

ced  round  the  fides  of  the  room.  The  checr- 
fulnefs  and  complacency  of  the  great-duke  and 
duchefs,  the  attention  and  politenefs  of  Baron 
Nolken  and  his  lady,  difFufed  an  univcrfal 
gaiety  throughout  the  aflembly ;  and  rendered 
the  entertainment  as  agreeable  as  it  was  fplen- 
did. 

A  feparate  edifice  of  brick  ftuccoed  white, 
called  the  Hermitage,  communicates  with  the 
palace  by  means  of  a  covered  gallery.  It 
takes  its  appellation  from  its  being  the  fcene 
of  imperial  retirement ;  but  bears  no  other  re- 
femblance  to  an  hermitage  except  in  its  name, 
the  apartments  being  extremely  fpacious, 
and  decorated  in  a  fuperb  ftyle  of  regal  mag- 
nificence. To  this  fovourite  fpot  the  cm- 
prefs  ufually  repairs  for  an  hour  or  two  every 
day ;  and  on  a  Thurfday  evening  fhe  gives  a 
private  ball  and  fupper  to  the  principal  perfons 
who  form  her  court ;  foreign  minifters  and 
foreign  noblemen  being  feldom  invited.  At 
this  entertainment  all  ceremony  is  faid  to  be 
baniflied,  as  far  as  is  confiftent  with  that  re- 
^edt  which  is  paid  to  a  great  fovereign .  The 
attendance  of  fervants  is  excluded ;  while  the 
Hipper  and  various  refrefhments  are  prefented 
on  fmall  tables,  which  rife  through  trap- 
doors.    Many  dire<iiions  for  the  regulation  of 

this 


ۥ4^  *P  E  '^ ^  E  S  B  U  R  G  H.  32I 

this  feled  fociety  &ffc  difpoied  in  the  various 
apartments  :  the  meaning  of  thofb  written  in* 
the  Ruflian  tongue  was  explained  to  me  by  a 
gentlenun  of  the  company ;  and  their  general 
tendency  wis  to  encourage  freedom  from  eti- 
quette, and  to  inculcate  the  moft  unreftrain- 
cd  eafe  of  behaviour.  One  written  in  the 
French  language  I  comprehended  and  retained* 
•*  Ajfeyez  vous  ou  nxms  voulez,  et  qtuind  il  vous 
**  phira^fms  qu^on  le  repete  millefois  *." 

This  hermitage  contains  a  numerous  aflem- 
blage  of  piftures,  chiefly  purchaied  by  her 
prefent  majefty.  Its  principal  ornament  was 
the  celebrated  collection  of  Crozat,  which 
defcended  by  inheritance  to  the  Baron  de 
Thieres,  upon  whofe  death  the  emprefs  pur- 
chafed  it  from  his  heirs.  The  Houghton 
coUe^on,  the  lofs  of  which  every  lover  of 
the  arts  in  England  muft  fincerely  regret, 
will  form  a  moft  valuable  acceffion. 

A  winter  and  fummer  garden,  comprifed 
widnn  the  fitc  of  the  building,  are  iingular 
curioiities,  and  fuch  as  do  not,  perhaps,  occur 
in  any  other  palace  in  Europe.  The  funpmcr 
garden,  in  the  true  Afiajtic  ftylc,  occupies  the 

.♦  Sit  down  where  you  chufe  and  when  you  pleai^ 
"widiout  its  being  repeated  to  70U  t  thoufand  tiipes, 

VoL.IL  Y  whole 


p.2         TRAVELS    INTO   ViVS^l^A.       B.  44 

whole  level  top  of  the  edifice :  at  this  feafon 
cff  the  year  it  was  entifely  buried  anckr  the 
fnow,  which  prevented  our  viewing  it.  The 
winter-garden  is  entirely  roofed  and  furround- 
ed  with  glafs  frames :  it  is  an  high  and  fpa- 
cious  hot-houfe,  laid  out  in  gkvel  walks,  or- 
name?iited  with  parterres  df  lowers,  orange 
trees  and  other  fhrubs,  and  peopled  Vvith  fe- 
veral  birds  of  fundry  forts  and  various  cli- 
mates, which  flitted  from  tree  to  tree.  The 
whole  exhibited  a  pleafing  efiedt;  and  was 
the  more  delightful  as  being  tontrafted  with 
the  difmal  and  dreary  feafoii  of  the  year. 

The  ordinary  diftribution  of  the  empfefs's 
time  at  Peterfburgh,  as  far  as  I  could  colleft 
from  inquiries  which  I  had  many  op|lk>rtu- 
nities  of  making,  as  it  concerns  fb  great 
a  princefs^  cannot  be  nliacceptable  to  the 
reader.  .1,      ,, 

Her  majefty  ufually  riies  about  fix,  and  is 
engaged  till  eight  or  nine  iii  f^blic  bufihefs 
with  her  fecrctary.  At  ten  fhS  generally  be- 
gins her  toilet  i;  and  while  her  hai**  i«  dt^n;g^ 
flie  minifters  of  ftate,  and  her  ftid-de*-Gamp» 
in  waiting,  pay  tfieir  refpcifls  and  receive  thtit 
orders.  Being  dreffed  about  eleven,  fhe  fends 
for  her  grand-children  the  young  princes 
Alexander  and  Conftantine,  or  vifit?  them  in 

their 


C.4*  PETERSBtTRGH.  ^23 

their  own  apartment.  Before  dinner  flae  receives 
a  vifit  from  the  great -duke  and  duchefs  ;  and 
fits  down  to  table  rather  before  one.  She  has 
always  ccxnpany  at  dinn»,  ufually  about  nine 
perfons,  confifting  of  the  generals  and  lords 
in  waiting,  a  lady  of  the  bed-chamber,  a  maid 
of  honour,  and  two  or  three  of^e ;  Ruffian 
nobilky,  whcnn  (he  invites.  Their  imperial 
highnefles  dine  with  her  three  times  in  the 
«tveek,  on  which  days  the  party  is  encreafed 
to  eighteen  perfons.  The  lord  of  the  bed* 
chamber  in  waiting,  who  always  fits  eppofitc 
to  the  emprefs,  carves  one  difh  and  prefents 
it  to  her ;  an  attention,  whicfc,  after  having 
once  politely  accepted,  flie  afterwards  dif- 
penfes  with.  Her  majefty  is  remarkably  tem-n 
perate,  and  is  feldom  at  table  more  than  an 
hour.  From  thence  fhe  retires  to  her  own 
apartment ;  and  about  three  frequently  rej^irs 
to  her  library  in  the  Hermitage.  At  five  fhe 
goes  to  the  theatre  *,  or  to 'a  private  concert  i 
and,  when  there  is  no  court  in  the  evening, 
has  a  private  party  at  cards.   She  feldom  fups ; 


*  An  Ittdian  opera,  a  company  of  Ruffian  and  another 
of  French  playws  were,  in  1778,  maintained  at  her  ma^ 
jefty's ,  expcnce,  at  which  the  fpeflators  were  admitted 
gratis. 


y  2 


generally 


3^4         TR.AVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  4* 

generally  retires  at  half  pafi  ten ;  and  is  ufu^ 
aUy  in  bed  before  eleven. 
.  The  great-duke  is  extremely  fond  of  the 
manage  5  and,  two  or  three  times  in  the  week, 
takes  the  diverfion  of  a  tournament,  which  is 
thus  defcribed  in  my  friend  Colonel  Floyd's 
Journal :  **  Count  Orlof,  having  obtained  the 
**  great-duke's  permiffioh  for  me  to  attend  the 
*'  manage  of  the  court,  I  accordingly  wient 
^*  this  morning  to  fee  a  tournament.  His 
*/  imperial  highnefs  and  eleven  of  his  nobles, 
^*  drefled  in  uniforms  of  buff  and  gold,  and 
**  armed  with  a  lance,  fword,  and  piftols, 
"  were  afletnbled  by  nine  o'clock,  although  it 
*'  was  as  yet  dufk.  The  great-duke  drew 
*^  them  lip  by  pairs ;  and  upon  the  found 
*'  of  the  trumpet,  himfelf  and  the  knights 
^*  immediately  mounted  their  horfes,  and  re- 
^*  tired  in  due  order  without  the  rails.  Two 
"  rings  were  fufpended  on  oppofite  fides  of 
*^  the  walls  oi  each  fide  of  the  manage ;  at 
•'each  corner  was  a  moor's  head  of  pafte- 
**  board,  or  an  apple  fixed  upon  a  pole,  and 
*'  between  them  two  heads  with  a  fquib 
*'  in  their  mouths.  Thefe  were  all  placed 
**  upon  ftands  almoft  as  high  as  a  man  on 
*•  horfeback,  and  ^t  fome  paces  from  the^ 
**  wall;  at  each  end  v^as  alfo  an  helmet  or 

**  pafteboapl 


C.  4-  P  E  T  E  R  S  B  U  R  G  H.  32J; 

**  pafteboard  raifed  upon  a  ftand  about  a  foot 
•*  from  the  ground,  and  about  four  from  th6 
*'  wall.  The  two  judges^,  with  Lord  Hef- 
**  bert  and  myfelf,  who  were  the  only  fpec- 
*^  tators,  took  our  ftation  on  the  outfide  of  the 
**  rail.  Upon  a  fecond  fignal  from  the  tram- 
*'  pet  two  knights  entered  at  oppofite  ends  of 
^^  the  manage.  A  band  of  mufic  played  A 
**  quick  air ;  while  each  knight,  galloping  his 
**  horfe  to  the  right,  and  making  a  volt,  la- 
*Mutedwith  their  lances  at  the  fame  time  ^ 
•*  then,  continuing  their  courfc  round  thti 
**  manage,  each  ran  with  his  lance,  firft  at 
**  the  rings  fufpended  from  the  walls,  and 
'*  next  at  the  moor's  heads ;  after  which  they 
'^delivered  their  lances,  as  they  went  on,  td 
^*  their  fervants  on  foot.  The  knights  thert 
**  drew  their  piftols,  and  each  making  a  fe-.^ 
**  cond  volt  round  the  other  heads,  difcharged 
**  them  in  order  to  fet  iirc  to  the  fquib ;  then; 
^*  purfuing  their  cpurfe  round  the  manage^ 
**  they  drew  their  fwords,  and,  making  vL 
^'  third  volt  round  the  apple,  endeavoured  >  to 
*'  ftrike  it  to  the  ground.  They  fini(hcd  thcff 
^^  career  by  (looping  down  and,  as  thty  gal- 
^*  loped  by,  thralling  their  fwords  through 
the  helmets ;  then  poifing  them  in  the  air^ 
they  met  in  the  middle,  and,  riding  to-* 

¥3  */  wards 


4€ 


€€ 
€€ 


326         TRAVELS   INTO  RUSSIA.        B.  4, 

**  wards  the  judge,  faluted  him,  related  the 
**  attempts  in  which  they  had  fucceeded,  and 
•*  demanded  their  prizes :  the  prize  was  about 
'*  four  fhiUings  for  each  atchievement,  and  an 
**  equal  value  was  paid  for  every  failure*  The 
^*  whole  was  performed  on  a  continued  gallop, 
•*  and  always  to  the  right.  In  running  at 
*^  the  ring,  the  head,  or  the  helmet ;  it  is 
•'  eftecmed  honourable  to  put  the  horfe  intd 

full  career,  which  encreafes  the  difficulty. 

The  judge  having  bellowed  the  rewards,  or 
**  taken  the  forfeits,  ordered  the  two  knights 
'*  to  retire.  The  trumpets  again  founding, 
'*  two  others  made  their  appearance,  and  per- 
**  formed  the  fame  manoeuvres.  This  exercife 
^*  was  repeated  twice  by  each  pair  of  knights. 
*^  The  whole  troop  then  entered  at  the  iame 
**  time,  marched,  charged,  formed^  drew  and 
^*  returned  their  fwords,  and  difmounted  by 
•*  word  of  command  from  the  great-duke. 
♦*  At  the  conclufion  they  adjourned  to  the 
**  fire ;  chocolate  was  brought  in ;  and,  after 
♦*  a  Ihort  converfation,  the  great-duke  bowed 
^*  and  retired.*' 

The  Ruffian  nobility  of  Peterfburgh  arc  no 

lefe  than  thofc  of  Mofcow  diftinguifhcd  for 

their  hpfpitaljity  towards  foreigners ,   We  were 

np  fooner  prefente4  to  a  jperfon  of  lank  and 

'     3  ^     •  fortune, 


C.  4»  PETERSBURG  H,  327 

fortune,  than  wb  were  regarded  in  the  light  of 
domcftic  vifitants.     Many  of  the  nobility  keep 
an  open  table,  to  which  the  firft  invitation 
was  confidercd  as  a  flanding  paflport  of  ad- 
miflion.     The  only,  form  necelTary  to  be  ob- 
ferved  on  this  occafion  was  to  make  inquiry 
in  the  morning  if  the  mailer  of  the  houfe 
dined  at  home  j  and  if  he  did,  we,  without 
further  ceremony,  prefented  ourfelves  at  his 
table.     The  oftener  we  appeared  at  thefe  hof- 
pitable  boards^  the  more  acceptable  guefts  wc 
were  efteemed ;  and  we  always  feemed  to  con- 
fer, inftead  of  receiving,  an  obligation. 

The  tables  were  ferved  with  great  profufion 
and  tafte.     Thmigh  die  Ruffians  have  adopted 
the  delicacies  of  French  cookery;  yet  they  nei^ 
ther  afFedl  to  defpife  their  native  difhes,  nor 
fqueamiflily  rejedt  the  folid  joints  which  cha- 
ra<3:erizeour  repafts.  Theplaineft,aswellas  the 
choiceft  viands,  were  coUedled  from  the  moft 
diftant  quarters  :  I  have  frequently  feen  at  the 
lame  time  fterlet  from  the  Volga ;  veal  from 
Archangel  5    mutton  from   Aftrachan ;   beef 
'  from  the  Ukraine;  and  pheafants  from  Hungary 
and  Bohemia.  Their  common  wines  are  chiefly 
claret.  Burgundy,  and  Champaigne;  and  I  never 
tailed  Englifh  beerand  porter  in  greater  perfec- 
tion and  abundance*  Before  dinner,  even  in  the 

Y  4  houfes 


328  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.4. 

houfes    of   perfons  of  the  firft  diftinftion; 
a  finall   table  is  fpread  in  a  corner  of  the 
drawing  room,  covered  with  plates  of  caviare, 
dried  and  pickled  herrings,  fmoked .  ham  or 
tongue,  bread,  butter,  and  cheefe,  together 
with  bottles  of  different  liqueurs ;  and  few  of 
the  company  of  either  fex  omitted  a  prelude 
of  this  kind  to  the  main  entertainment.    This 
practice  has  induced  many  travellers  to  relate, 
that  the  Ruffians  fwallow  bowls  of  brantfy 
before  dinner.     What  are  the,  uiages  of  d^ 
vulgar  in  this  particular  I  cannot  determine ; 
but  among  the  nobility  I  never  obfervcd  the 
leaft  violation  of  the  moft  extreme  fobriety : 
and  this  cuftom  of  taking  lipuur  before  din^ 
ner,  confidering  the  extreme  finallnefs  of  the 
glaflcs  ufed  on  this  occafion,  is  a  very  inno- 
cent refreihment,   and  will  not  convey   the 
fainteft  idea  pf  excefs.     Indeed  the  Ruffians 
in  no  ot^  wife  diiier  from  thp  French  in  this 
inftance ;  than  that  they  tafte  a  glafs  pf  liqueur 
before  their  rppaft,  while  the  latter  defer  it 
till  after  dinner.     The  ufual  hoar  of  dining 
is  at  three :   their  ?ntertainn[ient§  ^t^  moftly 
regulated  accprding  to  the  Fretfiqh  ceremonial, 
the  wine  being  circulated  dqring  meals  ^  and 
the  diflies  are  no  fooner   removed  than  the 
CQinpany  retire  from  tahl?  into  another  room> 
.:  and 


C,  4*  P  ,E  T  E  il  S  IS  U  R  O  H.  3I9 

and  are  immediately  fcrved  with  coiFee.  Nor 
do  the  gentlemen,  as  in  England,  continue 
wedded  to  the  bottle ;  while  the  ladies  with- 
draw into  a  feparate  apartitoent. 

Several  of  the  nobility  alio  receive  company 
every  evemng  in  the  moft  cafy  manner:  the 
parties  ufually  met  about  ieven;  fome  iat 
down  to  whift^  macao,  loo,  and  other  games  $ 
fome  converftd,  and  others  danced.  Amid 
the  refreihmentg  tea  was  handed  round  no 
left  frequently  than  in  England.  At  ten 
fupper  was  brought  in;  and  the  party  ge-- 
nerally  broke  up  between  eleven  and  twelve^ 
It  is  no  exaggeration  to  fay,  that,  during  our 
continuance  in  this  city,  not  one  evening 
pafled  but  wie  had  it  in  our  power  to  attend 
an  aflembly  of  this  fort ;  and  if  we  had  always 
frequented  the  famte,  we  ihould  always  have 
found  the  greateft  cordiality  of  reception* 
From  thefe  circumftances  there  is  perhaps 
no  metropolis  in  Europe,  excepting  Vienna, 
which  is  rendered  more  agreeable  to  foreigners 
than  Petcrlburgh. 

The  houfes  of  the  nobility  are  furnifhed 
with  great  elegance ;  and  the  fuite  of  apart- 
ments in  which  they  receive  company  is  un- 
coaimpnly  fplendid.  They  are  fitted  up  in 
the  ftyle  of  London  and  Paris  s  and  the  new 

faihions 


330        TRAVEtS    INTO   RtfSSIA.        8*4, 

fashions  mdce  their  appeanmce  as  ibon  as  in 
thoie  two  capitals. 

I  have,  on  a  fbrnier  occa(iOn>  defcribed 
the  modes  of  falutation  pradiifed  by  the  pea« 
iknU  and  commoa  people  i  I  fliall  here  men-' 
tion  thoie  which  I  obfdrved*in  ufe  among 
perfons  of  higher  rank.  The  gentlemai  bow 
very  low;  and  the  ladies 'indin^  thei#  heads 
inilead  of  curtfying.  Swnctickes^  the  gentle- 
men kifs  the  la^es  handd^ab  aWMk  of  refped:> 
which  is  ufual  in  many  counicirks  :  if  the 
parties  are  well  acquainted,  gr  of  equal  condi- 
tion»  or  if  the  lady  mednft  tp*pay  a  compli- 
tnent ;  fhe  ialutes  his  cheek  mobile  he  is  kiffing 
her  hand.  Frequently,  while  iflie  ftoops  to 
touch  his  cheek,  he  takes  that  opportunity 
of  faluting  her.  I  have  <^ten  ob&rved  this 
ceremony  performed  and  r^ated,  as  well  in 
the  drawing-room  at  court,  as  at  the  different 
tilemblies.  If  the  gentleman  is  a  perfon  oi 
very  high  rank,  the  kdy  oiFers  firft  to  kifs  his 
l^ndf  which  he  prevents  by  faluting  her  on 
the  cheek.  The  men,  and  particularly  re- 
lations, exchange  falutes  in  this  manner; 
each  kiffing  the  other's  hahd  at  the  fame 
inftant,  and  afterwards  their  cheeks. 

The  Ruffians,  in  their  uAial  mode  of  ad- 
drefs,  never  prefix  any  title  or  ippellation  of 

refpc<3: 


C.  4*  ?  E  T  E  K  S  B  U  R  G  H,  331 

refpcdt  to  their  names  |  but  perfons  of  all 
ranks,  even  thofe  of  the  firft  diftinftion,  call 
each  other  by  their  chriftian  names,  to  which 
they  add  a  patronymic.  Thde  patronymics 
are  formed  in  fome  cafes  by  adding  Vitch  * 
to  the  chriftian  name  of  the  father,  in  others 
by  Of  or  Ef ;  the  former  is  applied  only  to 
perfons  of  condition,  the  latter  to  thofe  ^f 
inferior  rank.     Thus, 

The  female  patronymic  is  Efna,  or  Ofna,  as 
Sophia  Alexefna,  or  Sophia  the  daughter  of 
Alex^y  ^  Maria  Ivanofna,  or  Maria  the  daugh« 
ter  of  Ivan. 

Great  families  are  alfo  in  general  diiliji- 
guifhed  by  a  furname,  as  thofe  of  Romanof, 
Galitzin,  Sheremetof,  &c. 

Travellers  vsrho  have  experienced  the  great 
politenefs  and  tafte,  vvrhich  diftinguifh  the 
behaviour  and  manners,  of  the  Ruffian  nobi- 
lity, both  in  their  entertainments  and  aflem* 
blies,  muft  be  furprized  to  find ;  that  fcarcely 
fixty  years  ago  Peter  the  Great  -t*  thought  it 

*  Vitch  is  tbe  fiune  as  our  Fitz,  as  Fitzherbert,  or  the 
(on  of  Herbert. 

t  ftnfs  Statt  of  RuiQ^  Yol  I.  p.  i86« 

neceflaiy 


532  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        ^.  ^^ 

hcceflary  to  eftablifh  the  following  regulations 
by  authority. 

Regulations  for  Aflemblies  at  Peteriburgh 

in  1719. 

**  Aflembly  is  a  French  term,  which  cannot  be  rendered 
*'  in  Ruilian  in  one  word :  It  fignifies  a  number  of  perfon^ 
^•meeting  together,  either  for  divcrfion,  or  to  talk  about 
*^  their  own  affairs.  Friends  may  fee  each  other  <m  that 
^  occafion,  to  confer  together  on  bufinefs  or  other  fubjeds, 
^  to  enquire  after  domeftic  and  foreign  news,  and  fo  to 
•'  pafs  their  time.  After  what  manner  we  will  have  thofc 
**  afTemblies  kept,  may  be  learned  from  what  follows. 

I.  *•  The  perfon,  at  whofe  houfe  the  aflfembly  is  to  be  in 
*^  the  evening,  is  to  hang  out  a  hill  or  otl^r  fign,  to  give 
**  notice  to  all  perfons  of  either  fex. 

II.  **  The  aflembly  fhall  not  begin  fooner  than  four  or 
*'  five  in  the  afternoon,  nor  continue  later  than  ten  at 
^  night.   . 

III.  "  The  mafter  of  the  houfe  is  not  obliged  to  go  and 
*^  meet  his  guefls,  to  condud:  them  out,  or  to  entertain 
"  them ;  but  though  himfelf  is  exempt  from  waiting  on 
**  them,  he  ought  to  find  chairs,  candles,  drink,  and  aU  the 
**  neceflaries  alked  for,  as  alfo  to  provide  for  all  forts  of 
.*'  gaming,  and  what  belongs  thereto. 

IV.  '*  No  certain  hour  is  fixed  for  any  body's  coming 
*^  or  going ;  it  i^  fufiicient  if  one  makes  his  appearance  in 
*'  the  aflembly. 

V.  "  It  is  left  to  every  one's  liberty  to  fit,  walk,  or 
**  play,  jufl  as  he  likes  5  nor  fliall  any  body  hinder  him,  or 
^  take  exception  at  what  he  does,  on  pain  rf  emptying  the 
**  Great  Eagle  (a  bowl  filled  with  Wine  or  braiidy).  As 
^'  for  the  refl:,  it  is  enough  to  iaiute  at  coming  iuid  gmng« 

VL  «  Perfon$ 


cc 


C.  4*  P  E  T  E  R  S  B  U  R  G  H*  J^ 

VI.  "  Pcrfons  of  rank,  as,  for  inftance,  nobleoien,  a!id 
**  fuperior  officers,  likewife  merchants  of  note,  and  head- 

mafters,  (by  whicliarc  underftood  fhip-builders),  perfons 

cmplojred  in  the  Chancery,  and  their  wives  and  children, 
•*  fliall  have  liberty  of  frequenting  the  affemblics. 

VIL  *'  A  particular  place  fliall  J)e  affigned  to  the  foot- 
**  men  (thofe  of  the  houfe  excepted),  that  there  m^y  be 
*'  fufficient  room  in  the  apartments  defigned  for  the  aflem- 
*'  bly." 

The  Englifli  merchants  live  in  a  very  fo- 
cial  and  even  Iplcndid  manner.  Befide  con-r . 
ftant  meetings  at  their  refpedive  houfes ;  they 
Jiave,  once  in  a  fortnight,  a  regular  aflembly 
in  a  houfe  hired  for  that  purpofe,  to  w^hich 
they  obligingly  invite  all  their  pountrymen 
who  happen  to  be  at  Peterfburgh,  and  oc^ 
cafionally  fonjc  Ruffian  ladies  •  There  is  a 
ball,  cards,  and  fupper:  twelve  or  fourteen 
couple  ufually  dance  at  thefe  meetings,  which 
are  perfedly  cheerful  and  agreeable. 

During  my  flay  at  Peterfburgh  I  dined  two 
or  three  times  at  a  club,  confifting^  of  about ' 
300  members,  moftly  Englifh  and  Germans, 
None  are  admitted  who  have  a  rank  fuperior 
to  that  of  major-general ;  but  a  member  who 
afterwards  attains  a  higher  ftation  is  not  ex- 
cluded. Every  perfon,  upon  his  admiffion, 
pays  £.  5.  and  afterwards  £.  2.  per  ann^ 
They  have  a   large  houfe,    which   is  open 

'  day 


3J4^        TRAVELS    INTO   RUSSIA.       B.  4. 

day  and  night,  and  fervants  always  attending. 
It  contains  billiard  tables,  a  coiFee  room^ 
apartments  for  cards,  a  large  apartment,  in 
which  there  is  a  fupper  every  evening,  and  a 
dinner  three  times  in  a  vreek.  Each  mea| 
colls  2  s.  exclufive  of  w^ine,  which  is  feparately 
paid  for.  Any  member  may  introduce  hi$. 
friend,  firft  entering  his  name  in  a  day- 
book^  and  paying  his  dinner  at  the  ftipulated 
rate* 


CHAP# 


€•  5«  P  E  T  E  R  S  B  U  R  G  H;  335 


CHAP.     V. 

Defer tpthn  of  the  fortrefs  of  Peterfburgh,  — 
Cathedral  of^t.  Peter  and  Paul. — Tomb  and 
charaBer  of  Peter  the  Great,  and  thofe  of 
the  imperial  family . — Mint  .-^Hijiory  of  the 
boat  called  The  Little  Gf  andfire,  which  gave 
rife  to  the  Ruffian  navy  upon  the  Black 
Sea. 

THB  origin  of  the  fortrefs,  which  oc-i^ 
cafioned  the  foundation  of  this  capital, 
has  been  alitady  relatqd  in  the  general  defcrip- 
tion  of  Peterljburgh.  Its  walls  of  brick,  and 
ftrengthened  with  five  regular  baftions,  en- 
circle a  fmall  iflarid  of  about  half  a  mile  in 
circumference,  formed  by  the  Great  and  Little 
Neva.     Within  the  walls  are  barracks  for  a 

*  • 

fmall  garrifon  5  feveral  wards  ufed  as  a  com- 
mon jail ;  and*  dungeons  for  the  confinement 
of  ftate-prifoners . ' 

In  the  middle  of  the  ifland  ftands  the  ca-^ 
thedral  of  St.  Peter  and  Paul,  in  a  diflferent 
ilyle  of  architecture  from  that  ufually  employed 
in  the  conftruftion  of  churches  for  the  fervice 
of  the  Greek  religion.     Inftead  of  domes,  it 

ha^ 


336  TRAVELS    INTO    RITSSIA.        B.  4* 

has  a  fpire  of  copper  gilt,  the  higheft  part 
whereof  rifes  above  240  feet  from  the  ground. 
Its  interior  decorations  are  much  more  ele- 
gant  and  lefs  gaudy  than  thofe  in  the  churches 
of  Novogorod  and  Mofcow ;  and  the  paint- 
ings are  executed  in  the  modern  ftyle  of  the 
Italian  fchool,  and  not  in  the  dry  manner  of 
the  Greek  maftcrs. 

In  this  cathedral  are  depofited  the  remains 
erf*  Peter  the  Greats  and  of  all  the  fucceffive 
Ibvereigns,  excepting  thoie  of  Peter  II.  buried 
at  Moicow,  and  of  the  late  unfortunate 
Peter  III.  interred  in  the  convent  of  St. 
Alexander  Neviki.  The  tombs  are  of  marble, 
and  in  the  fhape  of  a  fquare  coffin ;  and,  one 
only  excepted^  have  an  infcription  in  the 
Ruflian  tongue :  when  I  faw  them  they  were 
covered  with  gold  brocade^  bordered  with, 
filver  lace  and  ermine* 

J  viewed,  not  without  a  peculiar  kind  of 
veneration  and  awe,  the  fepulchre  which  con- 
tain? the  bpdy  of  Peter  I.  who  founded  the 
greatnefs  of  the  Ruffian  empire  :  the  ftemnefs, 
pr  rather  the  ferocity,  of  whofe  difpofition, 
neither  fpared  age  nor  fex,  nor  the  deareft 
Conne<fiions }  and  who  yet,  with  a  ftrong 
degree  of  compundtion,  was  accuftomed  to 
lay  pf  himfelf,  *^  I  can  reform  my  people, 

^*but 


e*5«  PETERSBURG  H.  337 

•*  but  I  cannot  reform  myfelf/'  A  *  royal 
hiftorian  has  juftly  obferved  of  Peter,  that 
he  covered  the  cruelties  of  a  tyrant  by  the 
virtues  of  a  legiflator.  We  muft  readily 
allow  that  he  confiderably  reformed  and  ci- 
vilized his  fubjeds  ;  that  he  created  a  navy ; 
that  he  new-modeled  and  difciplined  his 
army ;  that  he  promoted  the  arts  and  fciences, 
agriculture,  and  commerce ;  and  laid  the 
foundation  of  that  glory  which  Ruflia  has 
iince  attained.  But,  inftead  of  crying  out 
in  the  language  of  panegyric, 

Enibefce,  ars !  Hie  vir  maximus  tibi  nihil  debuit : 
Ekulta,  natura !  Hoc  ftupendium  tuum  eft  f  • 

We  may,  on  the  contrary,  venture  to  regret, 
that  he  was  not  taught  the  leflbns  of  hu- 
manity; that  his  fublime  and  unruly  genius 
was  not  controuled  and  improved  by  proper 
culture*,  nor  his  favage  nature  corrected  and 
foftened  by  the  refinements  of  art.     And  if 

♦  Pierre  I.  mourut  dans  ces  circonftances,  laiflant  dans 
le  mondc  plutot  la  reputation  d'un  homme  extraordinaire, 
que  d'un  grand  homme,  &  couvrant  ks  cruautes  ^un  Tiran 
des  vertus  d'Un  legijlaieur.  Hift.  de  la  Maifon  de  Bran- 
dcbourg. 

f  Blufh,  art !  tiiis  hero  owed  thee  nothing. 
Exult,  nature !  for  this  prodigy  is  all  thy  own. 
See  Gordon's  Life  of  Peter.    Vol.  IL 

VoL^IL  Z  Peter 


33^  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA*       i*4- 

Peter  failed  in  enlightening  the  mafs  of  his 
fubjedts  as  much  as  he  wifhed;  the  failure 
was  principally  occafioned  by  his  own  pre- 
cipitate temper;  by  the  chimerical  idea  of 
introducing  the  arts  and  fciences  by  force; 
and  of  performing  in  a  moment  what  can 
only  be  the  gradual  work  of  time;  by  vio- 
lating the  eftablifhed  cuftoms  of  his  people ; 
and,  in  contradiction  to  the  dictates  of  found 
policy,  requiring  an  immediate  lacrifice  of 
thofe  prejudices  which  had  been  lanitiiied 
by  ages.  In  a  word,  his  failure  was  the 
failure  of  a  fuperior  genius  wandering  with-, 
out  a  guide;  and  the  greateft  eulogium  we 
can  juftly  offer  to  his  extraordinary  charader, 
is  to  allow  that  his  virtues  were  his  own  ; 
and  his  defeds  thofe  of  his  education  and 
country. 

Peter  the  Great  was  born  at  Mofcow  on 
the  30th  of  May,  O.  S.  1672  ;  and  died  at 
Peterlburgh  on  the  28th  of  January,  1725, 
in  the  5  3d  year  of  his  age,  and  in  the  44th  of 
a  glorious  reign. 

I  obferved  near  the  tomb  of  Peter  fomc 
Turkilh  colours :  they  were  taken  in  the 
naval  engagement  of  Tchefme,  difplayed  dur-» 
ing  a  folemft  proceffion  in  honour  of  that 
victory ;  and  then  placed  t>y  the  hand  of  the 

prefent 


C.  5-  P  E  T  E  R  S  B  tJ  R  G  H.  339 

prefent  emprefs  at  the  tomb  of  the  fovereign 
who  was  the  founder  of  the  Ruffian  navy. 

Near  the  aflies  of  Peter  are  depofited  thofe 
of  his  fecond  wife  and  fucceffor  Catharine  I. 
the  beautiful  Livonian,  who,  by  a  wonderful 
train  of  events,  was  exalted  from  a  cottage  to 
unbounded  fovereign ty  *. 

In  the  vault  of  this  church,  but  without 
any  tomb  or  infcription,  lies  Alexey  fon  of 
Peter  !•  who  fell  a  facrifice  to  the  artifices  of 
the  defigning  Mentchikof,  and  to  the  refent- 
ment  of  an  inhuman,  though,  perhaps,  juftly 
offended  father.  The  recolleftion  of  his  fate 
makes  a  ftrong  impreffion  on  a  feelirig  mind ; 
and  muft  ftill  more  forcibly  ftrike  a  fubjeft  o^ 
the  Britifli  empire ;  where  will  is  not  law  i 
where  the  heir  apparent  is  as  fecure  as  the 
fovereign  himfelf ;  and  where  the  right  of 
fiicceffion  ftands  irrevocable,  not  to  be  altered 
by  tl^  caprice  or  jealoufy  of  a  reigning  mo- 
narch. The  fpeculative  theorift  may  indeed 
argue  for  Peter,  that  there  ought  to  be  a 
power  invefted  in  the  fovereign  to  exclude  an 
unworthy  fucceffor,  who  fhould  threaten  to 
overturn  his  plans  of  reformation,  and  again 

« 

*  See  an  account  of  Catharine  I.  in  Chap.  VII.  qf  this 
Book. 

Zz  to 


340         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  4* 

to  plunge  his  country  into  the  barbarifin  from 
which  he  had  raifed  it  with  fo  much  difficulty. 
But,  in  efFeft,  this  is  nothing  lefs  than  ren- 
dering .  the  fate  of  a  whole  empire  abfolutely 
dependent  upon  the  will  of  one  perfbn,  who, 
during  his  life,  may  change  his  heir  as  often 
as  he  changes  his  opinion ;  or  who,  like 
Peter,  may  expire  without  nominating  his 
fucceflbr;  and  leave  the  crown  to  be  feized 
or  difputed  by  thofe  who  have  not  the  leaft 
fhadow  of  pretenfion.  By  thefe  means  the 
throne  is  open  to  every  claimant,  who  may 
have  a  chance  of  fecuring  the  concurrence  of 
the  army.  If  all  the  evils  which  might 
have  been  expedted  from  this  change  of  the 
fucceflion  have  not  been  hitherto  experienced 
in  Ruffia,  it  muft  be  afcribed  to  the  following- 
confideration :  that  notwithftanding  the  abib- 
lute  power  which  the  fovereign  pofleflcd  of 
nominating  his  heir ;  yet  the  notions  of  he- 
reditary right,  and  the  privilege  of  primo-* 
geniture,  though  annulled  by  Peter*s  law, 
ftill  retained  a  confiderable  degree  of  influence 
in  the  opinion  of  the  nation.  The  exclu- 
fion,  however,  of  Alexey,  the  decree  *  fubfe- 

quent 

♦  '^^  In  the  month  of  February,  1722,  a  proclamation 
**  was  made  by  the  found  of  trumpet,   requiring  every 

►^    ^      .  *'  natural- 


C.  5.  PETERSBUR  G  H.  34! 

quent  to  his  death,   and  the  unfettled  ideas 
concerning  the  right  of  fucceffion  neceffarily 

introduced 

^  natural-born  fubjedl  of  the  Ruffian  empire,  and  all 
'*  foreigners  then  refiding  there,  to  fwear  and  fign  an 
**  oath,  '  that  they  will  acknowledge,  as  fucceflbr  to  the 
empire,  the  perfon  whom  his  majefty  fhall  nominate  for 
their  fovereign,  after  his  death.*  This  order  ftruck  a 
*^  damp  on  the  fpirits  of  every  body,  when  they  reflefted 
'^  on  the  undoubted  title  of  the  young  prince  Peter,  his 
*'  majefty's  grandfon,  and  only  remaining  heir  of  the  im- 
"  perial  family.'*    Bruce's  Memoirs,  p.  226. 

The  oath  was  thus  worded :  "  I  do  vow  and  fwear 
*^  before  Almighty  God,  and  upon  the  Holy  Evangelifts, 
"  that  I  own  and  acknowledge  the  decree  concerning  the 
♦*  fucceffion  to  the  crown  of  Ruffia,  publiflied  the  5th  of 
*'  February,  1722,  by  order  of  the  mpft  illuftrious  and 
*'  mighty  prince,  Peter  I.  emperor  and  fovereign  of  all 
'*  Ruffia,  our  moft  gracious  lord  and  mafter :  wherein  it  is 
*'  ordained,  that  the  prefmty  or  any  fucceedtng  emperor  of 
*'  RuJJia^  not  only  may  at  pJeafure  nominate  and  appoint  a  fuc^ 
''  f  ^r  to  the  crowny  but  likewife  alter  the  fuccejfion^  as  often 
"  as  he^  the  prefent^  or  any  other  fucceedtng  emperor  Jhall  fee 
caufcy  or  think fit^  This  imperial  ordinance,  I  the  under-* 
named  do  acknowledge  to  be  juft  and  right,  and  promifc 
*^  all  due  obedience  to  the  perfon  fo  named  and  appointed 
*' fucceflbr  to  the  imperial  crown  of  Ruffia;  I  will  hold 
*'  and  acknowledge  him  to  be  the  only  lawful  heir,  and  my 
*'  only  fovereign,  and  accordingly  will  hazard  life  and  for- 
*'  tune  to  maintain  him  on  the  throne,  and  defeat  the  de- 
'*  figns  of  his  enemies.  Moreover,  if  I  fliall  ever  be 
*'  found  to  Z&.  contrary  to  this  oath,  or  to  put  any  other 
^  conftrudtion  upon  it,  then,  and  in  that  cafe,  I  will  be 

Z  3  **  accounted 


cc 
cc 


342  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  4. 

introduced  by  that  fatal  mandate,  have  oc- 
caiioned  frequent  revolutions  in  the  govern- 
ment of  this  country ;  and  the  diipofal  of  the 
fceptre  has  in  fome  meafure  depended  upon 
the  regiments  of  guards  *  ftationed  in  the 

capital. 

^^  accounted  a  traitor,  and  not  only  be  liable  to  ah  ignomi-^ 
*^  nious  death,  but  alfo  to  the  anathema  of  the  church.  In 
**  coniirmation  of  which,  I  kifs  the  Holy  Gofpel  and  crofs, 
*^  and  hereunto  do  fet  my  hand." 

♦  The  licentious  conduct  of  rfic  guards  (foon  after  die 
acceffion  of  Catharine  I.),  which  proceeded  from  their 
power  of  difpofing  of  the  crown,  was  uncontroulable. 
*'  Although  the  emprefs  appeared  to  rule  with  an  abfolute 
**  authority,  yet  it  is  certain  that  (he  entirely  depended  upon 
**  the  caprice  of  the  Preobrefhenfky  regiment  erf"  guards, 
**  and  the  nobles  who  had  placed  her  upon  her  throne,  nei- 
**  ther  of  whom  (he  durft  contradiS  or  reduce.  Catharine, 
**  well  aware  of  her  fituation,  endeavouped  to  free  herfelf 
^^  from  this  de|)endent  ftate,  by  declaring  all  the  majors, 
•*  who  had  moft  authority,  lieutenant-generals ;  and,  under 
•*  pretence  of  thefe  promotions,  to  remove  them  from  the 
**  regiment  of  guards,  and,  in  their  ftead,  to  appoint  feveral 
**  foreigners,  who  were  officers  in  the  other  regiments,  to 
*'  be  majors ;  but  as  the  captains  of  the  guards  were  unani- 
**  moufly  diflatisfied  with  thefe  regulations,  (he  was  con- 
**  ftrained  to  place  affairs  upon  the  old  footing.'*  Auftrian 
Envoy  in  B.  H.  M.  XI.  p.  507. 

Alfo,  upon  Elizabeth's  acceffion,  Manftein  fays,  *^  The 
*'  whole  company  of  grenadiers  of  the  regiment  of  Preo- 
*'  brefhenfty  were  ennobled  and  promoted.  The  private 
f*  men  had  the  rank  of  lieutenants  -,  andAhe  corporals  of 

"  majors  5 


r 

■ 


C.  5.  PETERSBURG  H,  343 

capital.  Though  I  do  xaot  mean  to  juftify 
the  condu<St  of  Akxeyj  yet  I  cannot  but 
affent  to  the  opinion  of  a  judicious  hiftorian, 

that  as  Peter  I.  opened  by  this  law  an  abun- 

• 

**  majors ;  the  armourer  and  quarter-mafter  that  of  lieute- 
*^  nant-colonels  5  and  the  ferjeants  that  of  colonels  of  th« 
"  army.  It  was  called  the  company  of  body-guards. 
*'  Grunftein  was  made  adjutant  of  this  company,  with 
*'  the  title  of  brigadier.  He  did  not  long  keep  his 
*'  ground ;  accuftomed  to  the  low  ambition  of  a  private 
*'  foldier,  his  head  was  too  weak  to  bear  a  higher  fortune, 
*'  and  growing  giddy  with  his  preferment,  be  was  guilty  o^ 
''  all  kind  of  infolences,  broke  out  into  difrefpeft  to  the  em- 
*'  prefs  herfelf,  and  ended  with  undergoing  the  knout,  and 
^^  being  baniflied  to  the  lands  which  the  emprefs  bad  given 
"  him  when  fhe  firft  promoted  him, 

"  This  company  committed  all  imaginable  diforders  for 
*'  the  firft  months  that  the  emprefs  remained  at  Peterfburgh- 
*'  The  new  noble  lieutenants  ran  through  all  the  dirtieft 
*^  public-houfes,  got  drunk^  and  wallowed  in  the  ftreets, 
''  They  entered  into  the  houfes  of  the  greateft  noblemen, 
^'  demanding  money  with  threats,  and  took  away,  without 
*'  ceremony,  whatever  they  liked.  There  was  no  keeping 
"  within  bounds,  men,  who  having  been  all  their  life-time 
*^  ufed  to  be  difciplined  by  drubbing,  could  not  prefei^tly 
**  familiarife  themfelves  to  a  more  civil  treatment.  It 
*^  muft  have  been  the  work  of  time  to  reduce  them  to 
*'  good  manners.  I  do  not  know  whether  they  were  ever 
**  brought  to  correcS  themfelves,  but  the  moft  unruly  of 
*'  them  were  expelled  the  corps,  and  placed  as  oScers  in 
''  other  regiments  of  the  army,  where  the  vacancies  wf  re 
**  many.  An  admirable  expedient  this  for  procuring  ?x- 
**  cellent  officers !"  Memoirs  of  Ruffia,  p.  319,  320. 

Z  4  dant 


344         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.4. 

dant  fourcc  of  troubles  and  confufion,  it  had 
been  better  for  the  country  if  that  weak 
prince,  with  all  his  defedts,  had  been  fuffered 
to  reign  *.     And  I  may  venture  to  add,  that 

the 

♦  "  C'eft  a  cettc  imprudentc  loi,  qu'on  doit  attribucr 
*'  toutes  les  revolutions  qui  ont  afflige  la  RuiHe.  C'eft 
*'  Pierre  I.  qui  a  ouvert  dans  fon  empire  cette  fource  abon- 
*'  dantc  de  troubles  et  de  defolation,  Ne  valait-il  pas 
"  micux    qu'    Alexis     regnat.'*     L'Evefque,    vol.     IV. 

p.  454. 

An  ingenious  author,  who  has  lately  publiflied  part  of  a 
voluminous  work  upon  Ruflia,  controverts  this  judicious 
refledion,  juftifies  this  decree  of  Peter,  and  denies  that  it 
had  the  leaft  bad  tendency,  or  has  been  the  caufe  of  any 
revolutions.  See  L«  Clerc's  Hift.  Moderne  dq  Ruffie, 
p.  441  to  445. 

His  arguments,  however,  will  fcarcely  appear  convincing 
to  any  perfon  who  has  perufed  with  attention  the  Hiftory  of 
Ruffia  fince  the  demife  of  Peter  the  Great ;  and  muft  ap- 
pear of  little  weight,  unlefs  the  following  queries  can  be 
anfwered  in  the  negative. 

Was  not  the  acceffion  of  Catharine  I.  a  revolution? 
The  abolition  of  defpotic  authority,  and  the  election  of 
Anne,  a  revolution  ?  The  refumption  of  defpotic  authority 
by  the  fame  emprefs,  a  revolution  ?  The  removal  of  Biren 
from  the  regency,  a  revolution  ?  The  acceffion  of  Elizabeth, 
a  revolution  ?  The  dethronement  of  Peter  III.  and  th^  ac- 
ceffion of  Catharine  (though  juftificd  by  the  peculiar  fitua- 
tion  of  the  empire),  a  revolution  ?  Were  they  not  all  oc- 
cafioned  by  the  loofe  notions  concerning  the  right  of  fuc- 
cefiion,  and  accomplifiied  by  the  intervention  of  the  guards  ? 
Were  not   the  execution,  fcourging,  and  baniihment  of 

many 


C.  5*  PETERSBURG  H.  345 

the  re-eftabllfhment  of  hereditary  right  may 
be  juftly  claffed  among  the,  foremoft  of  thofe 
excellent  regulations,  which  diftinguifh  the 
reign  of  Catharine  II. 

,  In  the  fame  vault,  which  contains  the  body 
of  the  unfortunate  Alexey,  is  placed  that  of 
Charlotte  Chriftina  Sophia  princefs  of  Brunf- 
wick,  his  no  lefs  unfortunate  wife ;  and  whole 
fate  is  more  affefting,  becaufe  fhe  deferved  it 
lefs*  She  was  born  in  1 694 ;  married  in  1711 
the  tzarovitch,  who  had  feen  her  at  her  father's 
court ;  and  died  on  the  firft  of  November, 
171 5,  partly  of  a  broken  heart  occafioned  by 
her  hufband's  ill.  treatment,  and  partly  by  th^ 
Confequences  of  her  delivery  of  Peter  IL  * 

many  principal  nobles,  the  confifcation  of  eftates,  and  the 
confinement  of  numberlefs  ftate-prifoners,  the  fataj  confe- 
quences  of  thefe  frequent  changes  ?  the  laft  excepted,  when 
the  lenity  of  the  emprefs  fpared  the  ufual  viilims  to  policy 
and  refentment.  Have  not  thefe  civil  feuds,  which  fo  long 
convulfed  this  empire,  been  diminifhed  by  the  well- 
grounded  expectation  of  an  unbroken  hereditary  line  in  the 
prefent  imperial  family?  And  as  the  influence  of  Peter's 
fetal  decree  is  confiderably  abated,  and  the  moft  diftant 
probability  of  another  devolution  fcarcely  exifts,  has  not 
the  rapid  increafe  of  commerce  and  population  throughout 
every  part  of  this  vaft  empire  proclaimed  the  beneficial 
eflPefts  of  the  more  ftable  government  of  Catharine  II  ? 

*  See  an  account  of  this  princefs  in  Chap,  VIII.  of 
this  Book. 

1 1  Among 


346  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.4. 

Among  the  imperial  fepulchres  is  that  of 
Anne  of  Holftein,  eldeft  daughter  of  Peter 
and  Catharine,  who  is  lels  known,  though  far 
more  deferving  of  notice,  than  her  fifter  the 
cmprefs  Elizabeth,  becaufe  her  virtues  were 
not  ennobled  by  a  diadem.  Anne  is  defcrib- 
cd  *  as  a  princefs  of  a  majeftic  form  and 
cxpreffive  features,  of  an  excellent  and  im- 
proved underftanding,  and  of  irreproachable 
morals.  While  flie  was  very  young,  count 
Apraxin,  a  Ruffian  nobleman,  paid  his  ad- 
drefles  to  her,  but  was  rejedted  with  foorn. 
Not  daunted,  however,  with  this  repulfe,  he 

♦  •^  Anna  Pctrowna  reflcmbloit  dc  vifage  ct  d'humeur  a 
t*  fon  augufte  pere,  mais  la  nature  et  Teducation  avoient 
^^  tout  embelli  chez  elle.  On  lui  paflbit  plus  de  cinq  pies 
**  de  hauteur,  en  faveur  d'une  taille  extr^mement  deliee,  et 
•*  i^unt  fincfle  parfoitc  dans  toutes  fes  proportions.  Rien 
*'  dc  plus  majeftueux  que  fon  port  et  fa  phyfionomie,  rien 
«*  de  plus  rcgulicr  que  fes  traits,  et  non  obftant  cela,  dcs 
**  graces  tendres  dans  le  regard  ct  le  fourire  ;  des  cheveux 
"  ct  des  fourcils  noirs,  un  teint  d'une  blancheur  cclatante, 
"  et  ce  vermilion  frais  et  dSicat  qui  reftera  fans  ceffe 
•'  inimitable  au  ferd  j  les  yeux  d'une  couleur  indecife  et 
**  d-un  feu  cblouifant.  Bref,  de  pied  en  cap  Tenvie  n'y 
**  pouvoit  trouver  aucun  dcfaut.  Avec  cela  un  jugement 
**  pei^trant,  une  vraie  candeur  et  bonte  de  caraftere,  libe- 
"  nde,  et  magnifique,  tres  bien  inftruite,  parlant  elegam- 
*'  ment  fa  langue  maternelle,  le  Francois,  1' Allemand,  Tlta- 
**  lien  ct  k  Suedois/*  Baffewitz  in  Buf,  Hif.  Mag.  IX, 
P-  370y  Z7U 

continued 


C,5»  PETERSBURG  H.  347 

continued  his  courtfliip ;  and,  finding  her  one 
day  alone,  he  threw  himfelf  at  her  feet ;  of- 
fered his  fword;  and  entreated  her  to  put  an 
end  to  his  life  and  mifery.  "  Give  it  me,*' 
fiiid  the  princefs,  ftretching  out  her  hand, 
**  you  fhall  fee,  that  the  daughter  of  your 
**  emperor  has  ftrength  and  fpirit  fufficient 
**  to  rid  herfelf  of  a  wretch  who  infults  her/' 
The  count,  apprehenfive  that  fhe  might  ex- 
ecute her  threat,  withdrew  the  fword;  and 
demanded  inftant  pardon ;  and,  as  the  princefs 
told  the  ftory  with  great  humour,  became  the 
derifion  of  the  court  *. 

Anne  efpoufed,  in  1725,  Charles  Frederick 
duke  of  Holftein-Gottorp,  to  whom  fhe  had 
been  long  betrothed.  Bred  up  with  the  ex- 
pedation  of  two  crowns -f,  fhe  was  difap- 

pcHnted 

♦  Baflewitz,  p.  371. 

t  Thofe  of  Sweden  and  Ruflia:  the  former  by  marriage, 
and  the  latter  by  her  father's  nomination. 

With  refpeft  to  the  former,  her  huftand,  the  only  fon 
of  Hedwige  eldeft  fitter  of  Charles  XII.  was,  upon  that 
monarch's  death,  the  undoubted  heir  of  the  Swedifli  crown, 
but  was  fet  afide  by  the  Swedes,  who  preferred  Ubrica 
Eleonora,  Charles's  youngeft  fitter.  See  Genealogical  table 
of  the  Houfe  of  Vafa,  and  the  chapter  on  the  death  of 
Charles  XII.  both  in  the  fourth  volume. 

As  to  her  expedfeitions  of  the  Ruffian  crown,  Baflevitz, 
her  huft>and's  minifter,  pofitively  afferts,  that  Peter  I.  had 

**  formei 


34^  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  ^. 

pointed  of  both ;  nominated  by  her  mother 
Catharine  I.  one  of  the  council  of  regency 

during 

« 

formed  the  refolution  of  raifing  her  to  the  throne.     **  C'e- 

♦'  toitdansles  mains  de.cette  princefie,  que  Pierre  le  Grand 

."  fouhaitoitde  voirpafferfonfceptre."  Buf.  Hif.  Mag.  IX. 

P-  371- 

A  (hort  time  before  his  laft  illnefs  he  explained  to  her 

and  the  duke  of  Holftein  the  fyftem  he  had  purfued  during 

his  reign,  and  inftrucSed  them  in  the  details  of  government. 

While  he  lay  upon  his  death-bed,  having  recovered  his 

underftanding  by  a  momentary  intermiflion  of  the  delirium 

{fee  Chapter  VIII.  on  Catharine  L),  he  called  for  Anne 

to  didate  his  laft  fentiments,  but  upon  her  arrival  he  re- 

lapfed  into  his  former  ftate  of  infenfibility.  Ibid.  p.  372. 

It  alfo  appears,  from  the  following  extrafts  from  Sir 
Luke  Schaube's  papers,  in  the  poflefliori  of  the  Earl  of 
Hardwicke,  that  Peter  had  even  taken  fome  fteps  toward? 
iettling  the  crown  upon  his  daughter  Anne. 

"  Le  Cardinal  [Dubois]  ne  paroit  guere  touche  de  Tin- 
"jttftice  qui  feroit  faite  au  fils  du  czarowitz  5  et  il  dit, 
"  que  fi  le  czar  regleroit  la  fuccejjim  en  faveur  defa  filky  il 
"  faudroit  bien  que  ccux  qui  voudroient  fe  lier  ave<;  lui  de 
*'  fon  vivant,  promiffent  de  la  maintenir  apres  ia  mort, 
**  apres  laquelle  toutefois  il  arriveroit  vrayfemblablement 
"  de  cette  difpofition  comme  fi  elle  n'avoit  jamais  exifte." 
Extraft  of  a  letter  from  Sir  Luke  Schaube  to  Lord  Car- 
teret, dated  Paris  Jan.  20,  1722, 

*'  Ce  que  les  miniftres  Mofcovites  difoient  au  Monf. 
**  de  Campredon  que  le  czar  voulut  fe  procurer  une  ga- 
**  rantie  pour  la  fuccejfion  a  fes  etats  de  la  maniere  qu'il  fe 
"  propofs  de  retablir^  paroit  fort  fingulier,  &c.  Par  rapport 
*'  a  V  exclttfion  de  fon  petit-fils  en  faveur  defa  fdUy  fans  mar- 

''  quer 


G.  5*  P  E  T  E  Jl  8  B  tf  R  G  H.  34^ 

during  the  minority  of  Peter  11. ;  excluded 
from  that  council  after  having  only  once 
taken  her  feat,  by  the  defpotifm  of  prince 
Menzikof,  whom  fhe  herfelf  had  promoted 
with  all  her  influence;  driven  from  Ruffia 
by  the  mandate  of  that  arrogant  minifter ;  fhe. 
retired  with  her  hufband  to  Kiel ;  where  fhe 
died  in  1728,  in  the  22d  year  of  her  age,  and 
leaving  one  fon,  the  unfortunate  Peter  III. 

Her  coufin  the  emprefs   Anne  *,    fecond 
daughter  of  Ivan  Alexievitch,  lies  interred  ia 

the 

^'  quer  en  m&iie  temps  a  quel  prince  il  la  defline."     Ex- 
traft  from  a  Letter  ©f  Lord  Carteret  to  the  Cardinal  du  , 
Bois,  dated  Jan.  1721-2. 

The  decree  which  he  ifllied  in  February,  1722,  feemed  a 
prelude  to  this  appointment,  which  was  probably  prevented 
by  the  fuddennefs  of  his  death. 

Catharine  L  was  no  lefs  inclined  to  appoint  Anne  her , 
fucceflbr,  and  a  ftrong  party  was  formed  in  her  favour  ; 
but  that  emprefs  was  prevented  from  following  her  inclina- 
tions in  this  inftance  by  the  fhortnefs  of  her  reign,  and  the 
danger  of  excluding  Peter  Alexievitch ;  who,  as  the  grand- 
fon  of  Peter  the  Great,  >vas  fupported  by  a  ftill  more  pow- 
erful party. 

.  ♦  *'  The  czarina  is  about  my  height,  but  a  very  large- 
**  made  woman,  very  well  fliaped  for  her  fize,  and  eafy  and 
**  graceful  in  her  perfon.  x^She  has  a  brown  complexion,  black 
**  hair,  dark  and  blue  eyes ;  fhe  has  an  awfulnefs  in  her  coun- 
"  tenance  that  ftrikes  you  at  firft  fight ;  but  when  (he 
"  fpeaks,  fhe  has  a  fmile  about  her  mouth  that  is  inexpreflibly 
"  fweet.     She  talks  a  good  deal  to  every  body,  and  has  fuch 


«an 


350  tRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  4. 

the  fame  cathedral.  She  was  widow  of  the 
duke  of  Courland;  and  refided  at  Mittau, 
when  fhe  was  uncxpededly  called  to  take 
poffeflion  of  the  empire.  Upon  the  death  of 
Peter  11.  without  iflue,  the  fceptre,  acccwding 
to  Catharine's  will,  ought  to  have  reverted  to 
her  grandlbn,  afterwards  Peter  III.  fon  of 
Anne  of  Holftcin ;  but  as  hereditary  right  was 
aboliihed  by  Peter's  decree ;  and  no  fucceflbr 
was  appointed  by  Peter  II.  a  privy  council  of 
eight  nobles,  in  whom  the  regal  power  was 
vefted  at  the  deceafe  of  the  emperor,  formed  a 
plan  for  limiting  the  enormous  prerogative 
of  the  crown ;  leaving  the  title  and  pomp  of 
royalty  to  the  reigning  monarch,  but  referv- 
ing  to  themfelves  the  whole  fupreme  autho- 
rity. Having,  according  to  this  projeft, 
drawn  up  certain  conditions  to  be  ratified  by 
the  future  fovereigh,  they  chofc  the  princefs 
Anne  in  preference  to  the  family  of  Peter  the 
Great,  and  to  her  eldeft  fifter  Catharine  of 
Mecklenburgh,  becaufe,  having  no  legal  claim» 

**  ati  afFability  in  her  addrefs,  that  you  feem  talking  to  an 
**  equal ;  and  yet  fhe  does  not,  for  one  moment,  drop  the 
*'  dignity  of  a  fovereign.  She  feems  to  have  great  huma- 
**  nity ;  and  is,  I  think,  what  one  would  call  a  fine  agree- 
**  able  woman,  were  flie  a  private  perfon,**  Letters  by  a 
Lady  from  Ruflla. 

2  fhe 


C.  5*  PETERSBURG  H.  351 

flie  would  more  readily  be  induced  to  agree 
to  any  terms  which  might  fecure  her  the 
fiicceffion.  Anne  figned  the  articles  without 
hefitation,  only  for  the  purpofe  of  breaking 
them  with  greater  facility;  and  fhe  had  fcarce- 
ly  arrived  at  Mofcow  before  fhe  was  enabled, 
by  the  affiftance  of  the  guards,  to  annul  the 
ad:  of  renunciation ;  to  diflblve  the  privy 
council  itfelf ;  and  to  re-aflume  the  imperial 
authority  in  as  unlimited  a  form,  as  it  had 
ever  been  enjoyed  by  any  of  her  predeceflbrs. 
This  emprcfs  refigned  herfelf  implicitly  to 
the  direction  of  Biren,  a  native  of  Courland ; 
who,  from  the  loweft  extraiftion,  had  rifen  to 
be  abfolute  favourite  of  his  miftrefs,  and  re- 
gulated all  her  councils  with  the  moft  arbi- 
trary fway.  Anne  has  generally  been  cenfur- 
ed  for  her  feverity ;  and  is  faid  tp  have  ruled 
the  Ruffians  with  the  knoot  in  her  hand. 
But  the  cruelties,  which  tarnifhed  her  reign, 
muft  be  attributed  to  the  brutal  temper  of 
Biren.  The  emprefs  herfelf  was  naturally 
of  an  humane  difpofition  :  Ihe  frequently  op- 
pofed  the  fanguinary  meafures  of  her  favour- 
ite; and  in  vain  endeavoured  to  foften  his 
mercilefs  difpofition,  by  fubmitting  frequently 
to  intreaties,  and  interceding  even  with  tears, 

for 


3^2  ll'RAVEXS   INTO    RUSSIA.       «•  4. 

for  the  unfortunate  objcds  of  his  refentment** 
But^  in  efied>  the  fovereign  who  permits 
cruelties  is^  and  ought  ito  be,  equally  guilty 
in  the  eyes  of  the  world  with  the  fovereign 
who  commands  them;  and  pofterity  jufUy 
imputes  to  the  miftrcfs  the  vices  of  the  fer- 
vant,  who  is  uncontrouled  in  his  abufc  of 
power.  Anne  died  on  the  17th  of  06lober, 
1740,  after  having  nominated  for  her  fuccef- 
ibr  her  nephew  Ivan,  then  an  infant ;  with  a 
view  of  prolonging  the  reign  of  Biren,  whom 
fhe  appointed  regent  during  the  minority  of 
that  emperor. 

As  I  viewed  the  tomb  of  Elizabeth  ;  I  re- 
collected the  motley  character  of  that  indolent 
and  voluptuous  emprefs,  who,  by  the  revo- 
lution of  1 74 1,  renewed  in  her  perfon  the  line 

*  "  J^ai  ete  prefent,"  writes  Count  Munic,  "  lorfque 
"  I'imperatrice  pleuroit  a  chaudes  larmes  fur  ce  que  Biron 
**  fulminoit  &  mena^oit  dc  ne  vouloir  plus  fervir  fi  Tim* 
"  peratrice  ne  facrifioit  Volinfki  &  ainfi  des  autres." 
^bauche,  &c.  p.  119, 

Mrs.  Vigor  fays  of  her,  "  I  have  often  feen  her  melt 
**  into  tears  at  a  melancholy  ftory,  and  fhe  Ihews  fuch 
*'  unafleded  horror  at  any  mark  of  cruelty,  that  her  mind 
"  to  me  fccms  compofed  of  the  moft  amiable  qualities  that 
**  I  have  ever  obferved  in  any  one  perfon  5  which  feems  a 
**  particular  mark  of  the  goodnefs  of  Providence,  as  flie  is 
"  poflcffed  of  fuch  power/*    J^etters  from  Ruffia,  p.  89. 

of 


C.  5.       .       P  B  T  E  R  S  B  U  R  G  Hi  553 

of  Peter  the  Great  upon  the  throne  of  Ruffia. 
Elizabeth  was  born  in  1709  ;  and,  when  ar- 
rived at  years  of  maturity,  was  extremely  ad- 
mired for  her  great  perfonal  attra(3;ion8^. 

Her  beauty,  as  well  as  her  rank  and  large 
dowry,  occafioned  feveral  offers,  none  of 
which,  however,  took  place,  and  flie  died 
fingle.  During  the  life  of  her  father  Peter  I. 
a  negotiation  had  commenced  for  her  mar- 
riage with  Louis  XV.  but  although  not  feri- 

♦  Mrs.  Vigor  thus  dcfcribes  the  perfon  of  Elizabeth  in 
the  24th  year  of  her  age.  *'  The  princefs  Elizabeth,  who 
"  is,  you  know,  a  daughter  of  Peter  I.  is  very  handfome. 
**  She  is  very  feir,  with  light  brown  hair,  large  fprightly 
"  blue  eyes,  fine  teedi,  and  a  pretty  mouth.  She  is  inclin- 
**  able  to  be  fat,  but  is  very  genteel,  and  dances  better  than 
**  any  one  I  ever  faw.  She  fpeaks  German,  French,  and 
"  Italian  ;  is  extremely  gay,  and  talks  to  every  body,  in  a 
<*  very  proper  manner,  in  the  circle,  but  hates  the  cere- 
"  mony  of  a  court," 

And  again,  "  She  has  an  afFability  andfweetnefs.of  be- 
5'  haviour  that  infenfibly  infpires  love  and  refpe£l.  In 
"  public  {he  has  an  unafFefted  gaiety,  and  a  certain  air  of 
^'  giddinefs,  that  feem  entirely  to  poflefs  her  whol6  mind  ; 
"  but  in  private  I  have  heard  her  talk  in  fuch  a  ftrajn  of 
''  good  fenfe  and  fteady  reafoning,  that  I  am  perfuaded  the 
"  other  behaviour  is  a  feint  j  but  flie  feems  eafy :  I  fay 
^^feems^  for  who  knows  the  heart  ?  In  (hort^  (he  is  an  aixii- 
'*  able  creature  j  and  though  I  think  the  throne  very  wor- 
"  thily  filled,  yet  I  cannot  help  wifhing  fhe  were  to  be  the 
^  fucccflbr  at  leaft/'    Letters  from  Ruffia,  p.  73  and  76. 

Vol,  II.  A  a  oufly 


354  TftATELS^    INTO    RUgSlA.        J.  4. 

oufly  adopted  by  the  court  of  France ;  it  was 
never  relinquifhed  until  the  daughter  of  Sta- 
nUlaus,  titular  king  of  Poland^  was  publicly 
affianced  to  the  young  monarch.  By  the 
will  of  Catharine,  Elizabeth  was  betrothed  to 
Charles  Auguftus,  biihop  of  Lubeck,  duke  of 
Slefwick  and  Holftein,  and  brother  to  the  late 
•king  of  Sweden ;  but  he  died  before  the  com- 
pletion of  the  ceremony.  In  the  reign  of 
Peter  11.  fhe  was  demanded  by  Charles  Mar- 
grave of  Anfpach ;  in  1 74 1 ,  by  the  Perfian 
tyrant  Kouli  Khan  >  and  at  the  time  of  the 
revolution  the  regent  Anne  endeavoured  to 
force  her  to  efpoufe  prince  Louis  of  Brunf- 
wick,  for  whom  {he  entertained  a  &ttkd  aver- 
fion*.  From  the  period  of  her  acceffion 
fli^  renounced  all  thoughts  of  the  connubial 
ilate,  and  adopted  her  nephew  Peter.  Her 
diflike  to  marriage>  however^  certainly  did 
not  proceed  from  any  difinclination  to  man ; 
for  fhe  would  freely  and  frequently  own  to 
her  confidents,  that  fhe  was  never  happy  but 
when  flie  was  in  love  -f  ^  i£  vfc  may  dignify 

♦  See  Manftein's  Memoirs,  p>  25.  285.^  309- 

f  **  EUe  etoit  voluptu6ufe  a  I'cxces,  nee  de  fang  vo- 
*•  luptueux^  &  elle  difoit  fouvent  k  fes  confidentes,  qu'clle 
**  n'etoit  contente  que?  tant  qu'ellc  ftoit  amoureufe ;  mais 
**  elle  etok  avcc  cela  fort  inconftante  &  changeoit  fouvent 
•*.dcfkvoris»"^  Ebauche^&c^  p.  170.  -.  . 

by 


by  that  name  a  capricious  paflion  ever  chang- 
ing its  ob jedl.  The  fame  chara<Sleriftic  warmth 
of  temper  hurried  her  no  lefs  to  the  extremes 
of  devotion:  ihe  was  fcrupuloufly  exadt 
in  her  annual  confeffions  of  the  wander- 
ings  of  her  heart ;  in  exprefling  the  utmoift 
contrition ;  and  in  pundually  adhering  both 
in  public  and  private  to  the  minuteft  ceremo^ 
iiies  and  ordinances  of  the  church. 

With  refpe£l  to  her  difpofition  and  turn  of 
mind;  fhe  is  generally  ftyled  the  humane 
Elizabeth^  as  fhe  made  a  vow  upon  her  ac- 
ceffion  to  inflid  no  capital  puniihments  ^ 
during  her  reign;  and  is  reported  to  have 
ihcd  tears  upon  the  news  of  every  vidtory  gained 
by  her  troops,  from  the  refledtion  that  it  could 
not  have  been  obtained  without  great  boodflied« 
But  although  no  criminal  was  formally  exe-^ 
cuted  in  public ;  yet  the  ftate  prifons  were 
filled  with  wretched  fufFerers,  many  of  whorn^ 
unlieard  of  and  unknown,  perifhed  in  damp 
and  unwholefome  dungeons  :  the  ftate  inqui- 
fition,  or  fecret  committee,  appointed  to  judge 
perfons  fufpedled  of  high  treafon,  had  con- 
llant  occupation  during  her  reign  i  many  upon 

♦  See  Remarks  on  her  celebrated  edi<Sl,  which  abolithed 
capital  punifhrnents,  in  the  chapter  on  the  Penal  Laws  oT 
Ruffia  in  the  next  volume. 

A  a  2  the 


356*         TRAVELS    INTO    RUffSlA.        B.  4:* 

the  flighteft  furmifes  were  tortured  in  fecret  j 
many  underwent  the  knoot,  and  expired  under 
the  inflidion.  But  the  tranfadtion  which 
reflects  the  higheft  difgrace  upon  her  reign^ 
was  the  public  punifhment  of  two  ladies  of 
falhion  {  the  counteffcs  Beftuchef  aiwi  Lapoo- 
kin  :  each  received  fifty  ftrokes  of  the  knoot 
in  the  open  fquare  of  Peterfturgh;  their 
tongues  were  cut  out  y  and  they  were  banifh-i 
cd  into  Siberia.  One  of  thefe  ladies,  Madame 
Lapookin,  eileemed  the  handfomeft  woman 
in  Ruffia,  was  accufed  of  carrying  on  a  iecrct 
eorrefpondence  with  the  French  embaiTador ; 
but  her  real  crime  was  her  having  commented 
too  freely  on  the  emprefs's  amours*  Evea 
the  mere  relation  of  fuch  an  ^fkOing  fcene, 
as  that  of  a  woman  of  great  beauty  and  high 
rank  publicly  expofed  and  fcourged  by  the 
common  executioner,  muft  excite  the  ftrongeft 
emotions  of  horror ;  and  forbid  us  to  venerate 
the  memory  of  a  princefs,  who,  with  fuch 
little  regard  to  her  own  fex,  could  iflue  thofe 
barbarous  commands.  But  let  us  lament  the 
inconfiftcncy  of  human  nature ;  and,  in  con- 
iidering  the  charader  of  Elizabeth,  let  us  not 
deny  that  her  heart,  perhaps  naturally  benevo- 
lent, was  occafionally  corrupted  by  power, 
^nd  fteeled  with  fuipicion  ;  and  that  although 

P^eroy 


CU  .5;  P  E  T  E  R  S  B  U  R  G  H.  357 

mercy  might  prfcdominate  whenever  it  did  not 
interfere  with  her  paffions  and  prejudices ; 
yet  fhe  by  no  means  deferves  the  appella^ 
tiori.of  humane,  the  moft  noble  *  attribute 
of  JL  fovereign,  when  it  interpofes  to  temper 
and- mitigate  the  feverity  of  jufticc.  Eliza- 
beth died  in  1761,  in  the  twenty-firft  year  of 
her  reign,  and  in  the  53d  of  her  age:  fhe 
expired  in  December,  the  fame  month  in 
which  fhe  was  born,  and  in  which  fhe  acced- 
ed to  the  throne. 

Iii  the  fortrefs  is  a  fmall  arfenal,  which, 
among  other  miHtary  flores,  contains  fome 
antient  cannon,  call  in  the  middle  of  the  fix- 
teenth  century  tinder  the  reign  of  lyan.Vafli- 
hevitch  IL  and  which  I  was  furprized  to 
find  of  fuch  good  workmanfhip.  I  had  oc- 
cafion  to  mention  in  a  former  chapter,  that 
the  art  of  cafling  cannon  was  introduced  into 
Ruffia  under  Ivan  ValHlievitch  !•  by  Ariflotle 

♦  I  was  informed  from  undoubted  authority,  that  it  was 
impoflible  to  obtain  Elizabeth's  confent  for  the  execution 
6f  a  felon  who  had  even  committed  the  moft  horrid  fpecies  of 
premeditated  murder,  and  that  the  matter  of  the  police  ufed 
fccretly  to  order  the  executioner  to  knoot  tp  death  thofe 
delinquents  who  were  found  guilty  of  the  xnoft  atrocious 
crimes.  It  is  a  pity  that  fhe  did  not  referve  her  humanity, 
:p\^ich  in  this  inftance  was  cruelty  to  her  people,  for  more 
|!elpe6bible  Qbje£)!|,^ 

A  a  3  of 


358         TRAVELS   INTO    RITSSIA.        E,  4, 

of  Bologna.  Ivan  IL  did  not  fail  to  imitate 
the  example  of  his  grandfather  in  procuring^ 
iby  means  of  foreign  artifts^  the  befl  artilkry  { 
and  it  is  to  this  judicious  policy  that  both  thefii 
monarchs  were  chiefly  indebted  for  their  6ic^ 
eeffes  in  war  >  ^d  for  the  conqucft  of  feverU 
provinces,  which  they  annexed  to  their  hereH 
ditary  dominions. 

In  a  ieparate  building  of  the  fortrefs  is  the 
mint.  The  gold  and  filver  are  fent  ^(hxi  the 
mines  of  Siberia,  and  the  reparation  is  per-i 
formed  in  this  laboratory.  We  furveyed  the 
whole  procefs  from  the  firft  finelting  of  the 
©re  to  die  coining.  Among  the  filver  we  ob-. 
ferved  a  large  quantity  of  Dutch  dollars, 
which  were  melting  down  in  ordoc  to  be  rc-« 
coined  in  roubles ,  Peter  I,  wanting  filver 
for  the  new  coinage,  iffued  out  a  decree,  tlut 
all  the  cuftoms  fhould  be  paid  in  Dutch  dol- 
lars :  at  prefent  half  the  duties  are  ftill  dif- 
charged  in  that  money  by. all  foreign  mer- 
chants, excepting  the  Englifh,  who  are  ex- 
empted by  treaty.  But  as  the  gold  and  filver 
obtained  from  the  mines  of  Siberia,  with  thq 
addition  of  the  dollars,  are  by  no  means  fuf- 
ficient  for  the  money  in  circulation ;  a  con^ 
fiderable  quantity  of  both  thefe  metals  is  an^ 
pijally  imported.     The  coinage^^  in,  its  prefenft 

debafed 


C^  5*  P  E  T  iS  R  S  B  U  R  G  H,  359 

dcbafed  ftate,  muft  be  very  advantegeous,  as 
in  the  gold  there  is  fo  much  alloy,  that  a 
profit  of  48  per  cent,  is  gained,  and  in  the 
filver  of  37*.  This  ftate  of  the  Ruffian 
money  renders  ufelefs  the  prohibition  againfl 
exporting  it ;  and  is  produftive  of  one  mif- 
chievous  efFedt,  that  it  promotes  the  contra- 
band introdudtion  of  falfe  coin  from  foreign 
countries,  upon  which  a  confiderable  profit  is 
acquired. 

Among  the  remarkable  obje<fb  in  the  mint, 
the  machine  for  ftamping  the  coin  dcferves  to 
be  mentioned ;  becaufe  it  was  invented  by  her 
prefent  majefty,  and  is  efteemed  a  very  ingeni- 
ous and  fimple  piece  of  mechanifin. 

Within  the  fortrefs  is  a  four-oared  boat, 
fecured,  with  great  veneration,  in  a  brick 
building;  and  preferved  as  a  memorial  to 
future  ages  of  its  being  the  origin  of  the 
Ruffian  fleet.  Peter  L  ufed  to  call  it  the 
Little  Grandjire-,  and,  in  the  latter  part  of 
his  reign,  ordered  it  to  be  tranfported  to  Per 

♦  See  Effai  fur  le  commerce  de  Ruilie,  C.  X.  where 
die  reader  will  find  a  very  accurate  ftate  of  the  Ruffian 
coinage^  in  which  the  difference  of  the  prefent  money 
from  diat  of  the  former  reigns  is  laid  down,  as  I  was  in* 
formed  from  good  authority,  with  great  exadtnefs,  p,  3^54— 

^55- 

A  a  4  tcrflburgh : 


366  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  4. 

terfburgh :  it  was  condu(9^  in  fblemn  pro- 
ceffion,  in  order  to  excite  the  admiration  of  the 
people,  and  held  up  that  they  might  compare 
in  what  condition  he  had  found  the  marine, 
and  to  what  perfection  he  had  brought  it. 
The  hiftory  of  this  little  boat  is  worthy  of 
notice ;  not  only  as  it  comprehends  the  firft 
rife  of  the  navy,  but  bccaufe,  during  the 
courfe  t)f  this  narrative,  I  fliall  be  enabled  to 
point  out  fundry  errors  which  have  been  ad- 
vanced by  fevcral  hiftorians  of  Peter  the 
Great ;  and  which,  if  not  duly  correded,  will 
be  confecrated  by  time,  and  admitted  as 
truths. 

I  fliall  begin  by  remarking ;  that  there  is 
not  the  leaft  foundation  for  the  report  *  that 

Peter 

♦  L'Evefque  has  a4opted  this  i^otion,  and  he  cites  for 
his  authority  a  Hiftory  of  Peter  the  Great  in  the  Sclavo- 
nian  tongue,  firft  printed  at  V'enice,  and  republiftied  at 
Pcterfburgh,  with  notes,  by  prince  Sherebatof.  He  feems 
to  cite  from  the  text,  ai^d  not  from  the  notes.  But  I  may 
venture  to  contradi<S  this  notion  from  the  undoubted  au- 
thority of  General  Patrick  Gordon,  cited  by  Mr.  MuUer, 
in  his  J^achricht  yon  der  Urfpung^  &c.  in  Journ.  of  St.  Pet, 
for  1778,  p.  241. 

General  Gordon  a  native  of  Scotlan4  was  born  in  1635 ; 

having  ferved  with  glory  in  the  Swedifli  and  Polifli  armies, 

he  entered  into  the  Ruffian  fervice  in  166 1,  in  which  he 

froptinued  to  the  end  of  his  life.    He  v^rote  his  Journal  ia 

^  the 


C.  5'  P  E  T  E  R  S  B  U  ft  O  ft.  361 

Peter  was  naturally  afraid  of  the  water  5  and 
that  he  had  the  utmoft  difficulty  in  furmbunt-^ 
ing  this  averfion  :  on  the  contrary,  he  feems 
to  have  always  exprefled  a  ftrong  attachment 
to  that  element.  The  boat,  which  has  giveii 
rife  to  this  detail,  was  cdnftru(9:ed  during  the^ 
reign  of  Alexey  Michaelovitch,  by  Karftens 
Brandt,  a  Dutch  fliipwright,  whom  Alexey 
Michaelovitch  had  invited  into  Ruffia.     Pe^ 

the  Englifh  tongue:  it  is  now  in  the  archives  at  Mofcow^ 
and  has  never  been  printed.  Mr.  MuUer,  who  has  made 
great  ufe  of  it  in  fome  of  his  writings,  propofed  to  extract 
and  pUbliiK  all  the  circumftances  relating  to  Ruffia ;  but^ 
to  the  great  regret  of  all  lovers  of  hiftory,  has  been  pre- 
vented by  other  occupation^  from  carrying  his  defign  into 
execution. 

I  find,  from  Bachmeifter's  Ruff.  Bibl.  for  1782,  that  a 
German  tranflation  of  it  is  given  in  Part,  IV  of  the  Jour- 
l^al  of  St.  Peterlburgh  for  178a,  which  I  have  not  yet 
ieen. 

Gordon  died  in  1699,  fo  much  regretted  by  the  tzar, 
fhat,  to  ufe  the  words  of  his  relation,  *'  His  majefty  vifited 
*'  hin)  five  times  during  his  illnefs,  was  prefent  the  moment 
"  he  expired,  and  fliut  his  eyes  with  his  own  hand." 

The  fame  authpr  alfo  fays  of  him,  greatly  to  his  honour, 
**  General  Gordon  was  a  fober  man,  in  a<:ountry  where 
*'  drinking  is  much  in  fafhion ;  and  though  he  ufed  to  be 
♦*  much  in  die  tzar's  company,  his  majefty,  knowing  his 
*'  inclinations,  would  never  allow  him  to  be  urged.  He. 
^'  was  ever  mindful  of  his  bufinefs,  and  did  great  fervice  to 
^.*  the  Ruifian  nation."  Gordon's  Hift.  of  Peter  the  Great, 
vol,  I.  p.  137,  138. 

10  ter. 


^ 


31^2         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.         B.  4, 

ter  ♦,  about  the  year  1 69 1  ^  accidentally  iecing 
this  boat  at  a  village  near  Mofcow^  inquired 
why  it  was  built  in  a  difiercnt  manner  from 
all  thoie  which  he  had  hitherto  obierved; 
Timmcrman,  a  foreigner^  who  taught  him 
^Drtification^  and  to  whom  he  addreifed  the 
queftion^  informed  him  that  it  was  a  vefTel  f 
fy  contrived  as  tp  go  againft  the  wind.  Peter's 
ctiriofity  was  roufed  by  this  intelligence,  and 
Brandt,  who  was  ftill  in  Ruflia,  being  inftant- 
ly  fummoned,  repaired  it  without  delay,  pro- 
vided it  with  a  mail  and  rigging,  and,  having 
launched  it  upon  the  Yauia,  £uled  in  it,  to 
the  AirpriM  and  aftonidiment  of  the  young 
tzar,  who  inunediately  embarked  in  it  himielf^ 
and,  under  the  dire&ion  of  Brandt,  foon  leam-> 
ed  the  management  of  the  veiTel. 

Having  repeated  thefe  experiments  upon  die 
Yaula,  as  well  as  upon  a  neighbouring  lake, 
to  which  it  was  tranfported,  he  ordered  Brandt 

*  This  part  is  taken  from  L'Evefque,  who  cites  for  his 
authority  the  Life  of  Peter,  by  the  archbifliop  Theophanes, 
with  notes,  by  prince  Shercbatof.  Hift.  dc  Ruffie,  vol.  IV. 
p.  III. 

t  L'Eveique  fiiys,  from  the  authority  of  Prince  Sherc-^ 
•batof,  that  it  was  une  chaloupe  Angloife;  but  we  muft 
prefer  die  aodiority  of  General  Gordon,  who  informs  us 
k  was  built  by  Brandts  Perhaps  Timmerman  might  think 
H  an  Englift  veffcl,  ^ 

to 


e.  5*  FETEHSBURGH.  363 

to  bufld  a  yadit  *  upon  the  banks  of  the 
Mofkva^  which  was  launched  in  1691 1  and 
in  which  Peter  embarked  and  failed  as  far  as 
Columna,  Aniniated  with  the  fucccfs  of  this 
isxpedition^  he  conunanded  the  fame  ihip« 
Wright  to  conftrud,  upon  the  lake  of  Pcriflaf, 
^eral  fmall  veiTels  carrying  guns ;  in  which 
the  tzar  failed  on  the  8th  of  February,  the  3d 
of  March,  and  the  5th  of  April,  of  the  fed* 
lowing  year.  On  the  ift  of  May  another 
veflel  was  launched ;  and  on  the  9th  Peter 
returned  to  Mofcow,  The  death  of  Brandt^ 
which  foon  followed,  fecms  to  have  interrupted 
the  increafe  of  this  little  fleet ;  but  did  not 
prevent  Peter  from  continuing  his  expeditions 
upon  the  lake.  The  following  extracts,  from 
General  Gordon's  Journal,  will  Ihow  with 
what  eagemefs  the  young  monarch  purfued 
his  new  occupation ;  when  fuch  trifling  inci- 
dents as  weighing  anchor,  and  failing  acrofs 
a  lake,  arc  circumftantially  recorded, 

**  Gordon  went  on  the  1 1  th  of  Auguft  to 
<*  Pereflaf  5  on  the  14th  he  was  entertained  ii| 
^*  due  form  and  ceremony  on  board  of  the 

♦  From  hence  I  follow  implicitly  MuUer's  Extrafl* 
^p:|  Q^neral  Qordoa's  Journ^. 

^*  admirar* 


3^4         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       3.  ^h 

**  admirals  *  (hip;  on  the  i8*th,"  he  addsi 
«*  we  failed  from  one  fide  of  the  lake  to  the 
**  oppofite  bank ;  on  the  21ft  we  gbt  under 
**  way,  and  failed  to  the  other  fide,  where  w^ 
**  again  came  to  an  anchor ;  on  the  24th 
**  Gordon  attended  the  tzar  on  fhip-board  j 
**  on  the  28  th  we  departed  from  Pereflaf ;  and 
**  on  the  31ft  reached  Alexcyfik."  But  as  the 
limits  of  a  lake  were  become  too  ccMifined 
for  the  rifing  ambition  of  the  tzar,  he  hurried 
to  Archangel,  where  he  arrived  in  the  month 
of  June,  1693.  "  On  the  17th,''  fays  Gor^ 
doH^  "  the  poft  brought  the  news  that  the 
tziar  had  been  upon  the  White  Sea,  and 
wa&  happily  arrived  into  port  5  and  on  th^ 
**  I  ith  of  Odober  he  came  back  to  Mofcow. 
**  In  the  beginning  of  May,  1694,  ^^  returned 
**  to  Archangel ;  and  continued  in  thofe  parts 
**  until  September ;  during  which  time  he 
"  made  frequent  expeditions  upon  the  fea,  and 
**  improved  his  knowledge  of  navigation." 

Thefe  little  adventures,  which  feemed  no-, 
thing  more  than  mere  youthful  amufements, 
were,  however,  foon  afterwards  produftive  of 
the  moft  glorious  event  that  diftinguifhed  the 

♦  Mr.  Muller  conjedures  that  Le  Fort  was  the  admiral 
of  this  little  f^uadron* 

reigft 


4€ 
4€ 


ۥ5^  PBTERSBURGH.  565 

reign  of  Peter,  When  the  tzar,  in  his^^cam- 
paign  of  1695  againft  the  Turks,  befieged 
Azof,  he  found  it  impoilible  to  take  the  town 
'syithout  blocking  up  the  harbour ;  and  as  he 
did  not  at  that  time  poflefs  one  fhip,  he  was 
compelled  to  raife  the  fiege» 

His  fpirit  being  excited,  rather  than  extin- 

guifhed,  by  this  difappointmcnt,  he  gave  or-: 

ders  for  the  immediate  conftrud:ion  of  feveral 

veffels :  fomc  were  framed  at  Occa,  and  tranf- 

ported  over  land  to  the  Don ;  but  the  greateft 

part  were  built  at  Veronetz.     In  lefs  than  a 

year  he  renewed  the  liege  of  Azof;  and  brought 

before  it,  to  the  infinite  furprize  of  the  Turks^ 

two  men  of  war,  23  gallies,  two  galleots,  and 

four  fire-fhips  *.     With  this  little  fquadron, 

which  fiiiled  down  the  Don  into  the  Black 

Sea,  he  blockaded  the  harbour ;  gained  a  naval 

vidory  over  the  Turkifh  ^allies;  and  took 

Azof*     He  fignalized   this  wonderful  event 

\>y  a  triumphal  entry  into  MofcQw,  and  by  a 

medal  reprefenting  the  taking  of  Azof,  with 

a  motto  in  Ruffian,  **  Vidor  by  thunder  and 

**  the  waves."     This  fuccefs  was  only  the 

prelude  to  ftill  greater  atchievements ;  and  as 

the  fecurity  of  his  new  conquefts  upon  th^ 

♦  S*  IC  G.  vol.  II.  p.  a26» 

^         Black; 


^66         TRAVELS   INTO   RtJ^SlA.       B.^l* 

Bkck  S!ea  feemed  to  depend  upon  a  powerful 
Mvy ;  the  tzar  having  colleifted  from  all  quar^ 
ters  the  moil  expert  fhip-builders,  and  himfelf 
f^^erkitttidod  the  necef&ry  pFeparations  at 
Veronctz^  Azof,  and  Taganroc,  fet  out  upoa 
his  iirft  expedition  into  foreign  parts.  In  1 699^ 
ibon  after  bis  r^urn^  he  was  preient  at  a 
nafval  review  upon  the  Black  Sea »  in  which 
«en  frigates  were  engaged,  the  largeft  carry- 
ing fifty,  and  the  finalleft  twenty*fix  guns  *  1 
smd  the  Rufiian  navy,  in  the  harhours  of  the 
Euxine,  conftruded  and  upon  the  ftocks,  is 
deicribed,  onfy  three  years  after  the  firft  prepa^ 
ntions,  as  confiAing  of  nine  fhips  of  60  guns, 
ten  of  50,  ten  of  48,  two  of  42,  fourteen  of 
34,  two  of  32,  three  of  30,  one  of  26,  one  of 
14,  foiH"  of  18,  three  c^  14,  and  four  of  8 
guns;  befide  18  triremes,  100  brigantines, 
And  300  boats  in  the  Dnieper.  This  ftupen-^ 
dous  account  would  be  almoft  incredible  if  it 
was  not  recorded  by  the  fccreteiry  -j^  to  the 

Auftnan 

♦  S-  R.  G.  vdl.  II.  p.  184. 

t  Korb  Diarium.  The  reader  will  find,  in  p.  236,  a 
catalogue  of  the  names  of  all  thefe  veffels,  together  with 
tfie  bi^adth)  kng^  depths  mimber  of  guns,  and  complex* 
ment  of  men. 

^    Le  Bruyn,  who  was  at  Vtronctz  in  1703,  mentions  Ac 
fcipping  in  the  following  words :   *^  With  regard  to  the 

«<  fliips. 


C.  5»  P  E  T  E  R  S  B  0  R  G  H.  367 

Aujftrian  embafly,  then  refident  at  Mofcow* 
It  is  fcarcely  paralleled  by  the  naval  eicertions 
of  the  Romans  in  the  firft  Punic  war. 

The  rapidity  with  which  Peter  created  his 
fleet  for  the  Black  Sea,  was  equalled  by  fimi- 
lar  exertions  upon  the  Baltic  after  the  acqui- 
fition  of  Cronftadt  and  the  foundation  of 
Peterftmrgh.  But  to  return  to  the.boat  which 
occafioned  this  digreffion,  and  which,  accord* 


C( 

cc 


fliips  here,  we  few  fifteen  in  the  water,  four  men  of  wac, 
the  biggeft  of  54  guns,  three  vi<Shiallers,  two  fire-Ihips, 
and  fix  bomb-ketches.  On  fhore,  and  ready  to  be 
*'  launched,  were  five  men  of  war,  after  the  Dutch  fefliion, 
*'  from  60  to  64  guns,  two  after  the  Italian  from  50  to-  54, 
a  galeafs  after  the  Venetian,  and  four  gallies,  befides  17 
gallies  at  Siefofskie,  two  verfts  from  the  town*  Befides 
*'  all  this,  they  were  at  work  upon  five  men  of  war  after 
^^  the  Engliih  built,  two  bored  for  74  guns,  and  two  for 
*'  60  or  64 ;  the  fifth,  which  is  called  after  hte  majefty,  be- 
^'  caufe  he  had  the  diredion  of  her  upon  the  flocks^  is 
*'  bored  for  86  guns.  They  were  at  work  alfo  upon  a 
*^  packet-boat ;  and  afhore,  on  the  other  fide  of  the  river, 
**  were  about  200  brigantines,  moft  of  them  built  at  Verp- 
**  nis  ;  and  at  this  time  there  were  400  ftout  brigantines 
"  upon  the  Nieper,  and  the  Boryfthcnes,  in  the  neigh- 
**  bourhood  of  Crim  Tartary  5  and  300  flat-bottomed  veflels 
•*  upon  the  Volga;  befides  18  men  of  war  at  Aibph,  a 
"•*  bomb  veffel,  and  a  yacht.  The  czar  has  feveral  other 
^-ihips,  the  largeft  of  which  is  of  66^  guns,  four  from  4^ 
**  to  50,  five  of  36,  two  of  34,  and  others  fmallerj  the 
"  leaft  of  28  guns."    Le  Bmyn's^  Travels^  ¥oL  L  p.  62. 

'I  ing 


j68  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA,       B.  4v 

ing  tp  Peter  L  was  the  original  c^ufe  of  the 
.Ruffian  navy.  In  1723  Peter,  at  the  clofe  of 
the  Perfian  expedition,  ordered  it  to  be  tranf- 
ported  froni  Mofcow  to  the  new  metropolis ; 
and  gave  a  public  entertainment,  which  was 
called  the  Confecration  of  the  Little  Grandfire. 
Th?  fleet,  confifting  of  twenty-feven  men  of 
war,  was  ranged  at  Cronftadt  in  the  form  of 
^n  half-moon,  when  his  majefty  embarked  in 
this  boat,  himfelf  fleering,  while  three  admi- 
rals and  prince  Mentchikof  performed  the 
office  of  rowers  :  being  then  towed  by  two 
(loops,  it  made  a  fmall  circuit  in  the  Gulf  jl 
and,  returning  by  the  fleet,  the  ffiips,  as  it 
paflfed  along,  ftruck  their  flags  and  faluted  with 
all  their  guns ;  while  the  Little  Grandfire  re- 
turned each  falute  by  a  difcharge  of  three  fmall 
pieces.  It  was  then  brought  into  the  har- 
bour, and  furrounded  by  the  men  ff  war.  A 
few  days  afterwards  the  Little  Grandfire  wa^ 
conveyed  to  St.  Peterfburgh,  where  its  arrivaj 
was  folemnized  by  a  mafquerade  upon  the 
water  *.  This  memorable  boat,  freighted  with 
the  emperor,  proceeded  to  the  fortrefs,  and 
was  condudted,  Peter  himfelf  affifling  in  the 
ceremony ;  under  the  difcharge  of  all  the  ar-- 

♦  Coufett's  prefent  State  of  RuflTta,  p.  21 8. 

tillery^ 


C»5*  PETERSBURG  Hv  369 

tillery,  to  the  place  where  it   now  remains 
enihrined  as  a  memorial  to  pofterity. 

From  the  fctftrefs  we  took  water ;  and  land- 
ed at  an  adjacent  fpot  in  the  ifland  of  Peterf-' 
burgh,  near  a  wooden  hovel,  which  is  digni- 
nified  by  its  having  ferved  for  the  habitation 
of  Peter  the  Great  while  the  fortrefs  was  con- 
flrudting.     It  ftill  exifts  in  its  original  ftate,; 
and  ftands  under  a  brick  building,  purpofely 
erecSled  to  preferve  it  from  deftrudion.     The 
houfe  is  a  ground  floor,  with  only  three  rooms, 
which  I  had  the  curiofity  to  meafure.     They 
are  but  eight  feet  in  height :  the  apartment 
for  the  reception  of  company,  as  it  was  called, 
is  1 5  feet  fquare  ;  the  dining-room  is  1 5  by 
1 2 ;   and  the  bed-chamber  ten   feet  fquare. 
Near  this  houfe  is  another  four-oared  boat,  the 
work  of  Peter's  own  hands,  and  which  has 
been  erroneoufly  called  the  Little  Grand/ire ; 
an  honourable  appellation  due  only  to  that 
juft  defcribed. 


Vol.  II,  B  b  CHAP- 


1 


370         TRAVEIS    INTO  HUSSIA*        S.  4. 


G  H  A  P.    VL 

Falace  and  gardens  ^^Tzarlkoc-Zelo.— Orani-. 
enbaixm.— Hj^^ry  of  Prince  Mentchikof. — 
Fortrefs.^^ Apartments  of  Fcter  HI.— ^Palace 
and  gardens  of  Peterhof  . — Dutch  houfe  btdlt 
by  Peter  the  Great, — Schluffelbargh.— Or/- 
gtn^  hijiory^  and  defcription  of  the  fortrefi  ^ 

A  S,  upon  our  arrival  at  Peterfburgh,  the 
JIjL  feafon  of  the  year  was  far  advanced; 
we  had  no  tinie  or  opportunity  to  vifit  many 
places  in  tne  neighbourhood  of  that  capital. 
We  contrived,  however,  before  the  approach 
of  winter,  to  make  ^excurfions  to  iPzarfkoe- 
Zelo,  Oranienbaum,  Peterhof,  and  SchlufleU 
burgh. 

Tzarlkoe-Zelo,  an  imperial  jxilace,  about 
fifteen  miles  from  Peterfburgh,  is  the  fevou- 
rite  fummer  refidence  of  the  emprefs,  where 
fhe  lives  in  a  more  retired  manner  than  when 
ihe  is  at  Peterhof.  This  palace,  which  was 
built  by  Elizabeth,  is  a  brick  edifice  ftuccoed 
white,  of  difproportionate  length,  and  in  a 
moft  heavy  ftyle  of  architecture.  The  ca- 
pitals of  the  outfide  pillar$>   as  alfo  many 

of 


*.  6.  T  2  A  R  S  K  01E-Z  E  L  O.  371 

of  the  Other  exterior  ornament&>  together  with 
the  feveral  wooden  ftatues  which  fupport  the 
cornice  and  adorn  the  roof,  are  all  gilded^ 
and  exhibit  a  moft  tawdry  appearance.  The 
apartments  are  large  and  magnificent:  fomc 
are  fitted  up  in  the  old  %le  of  gaudy  pro- 
fufion ;  others  in  a  Icfs  fplendid,  but  more 
elegant  tafte,  by  her  prefent  majefly.  One 
room  is  much  admired,  being  richly  incrufted 
with  amber,  a  prefent  from  the  king  of 
PruiBa. 

Having  viewed  the  palace ;  we  walked 
round  the  gardens,  which  are  laid  out  in  the 
Englifli  tafte,  and  are  agreeably  diverfificd 
with  lawn.  Wood,  and  water.  Among  fe*- 
veral  bridges,  we  were  particularly  ftrudk 
with  one,  built  after  the  model  of  Lord  PerA- 
brokers  RftUadiaa  bridge  at  Wilton.  It  ;i& 
exadtly  of  the  fame  fize,  but  more  mag- 
nificent, the  lower  part  being  of  granite,  and 
the  colbnade  of  marble.  The  latter  was 
Bewn  and  worked  in  Siberia  by  an  Italiaa 
arti^,  who  employed  nine  years  in  completing 
it :  from  Siberia  it  was  tranfported  by  water 
to  Peterfburgh,  and  from  the  capital  to 
Tzarfkoe-Zelo  by  land.  It  was  a  pleafing 
fatisfadlion  to  obferve  our  works  of  tafte  inn 
troduced  into  thefe  diftant  and,  formerly,  in- 

B  b  2  hofpitablc 


372         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.  B:  j^^ 

hofpitable  regions.  Several  buildings  were 
fcattered  about  the  gardens,  many  of  which 
were  raifed  in  honour  of  thofe  perfons  who 
diftinguiflied  themfelves  in  the  imperial  fer- 
vice :  among  thefe  I  remarked  a  triumphal 
arch  to  Prince  Orlof,  for  repairing  to  Mofcow 
in  order  to  check  the  progrefs  of  the  plague, 
which  raged  with  great  violence  in  that  city ; 
a  building  to  Count  Alexcy  Orlof,  in  memory 
of  the  naval  vidtory  at  Tchefme  ;  and  an 
obelifk  to  Marfhal  Romantzof,  for  his  fuc- 
cefles  againft  the  Turks. 

Our  next  excurfion  was  to  Peterhof,  Ora- 
nienbaum  and  Cronftadt  *. 
-  "The  road  lay  at  a  fmall  diftance  from  the 
Gujf  of  Finland,  at  firft  through  a  flat  coun- 
try, chiefly  marfhy,  producing  paflure  and 
little  corn.  On  our  left  extendi  a  ridge 
of  low  hills,  which  once  formed  the  boun- 
dary of  the  Gulf,  when  it  fpread  over  a  larger 
fpacc  than  it  covers  at  prefent.  We  ^cended 
diis  ridge ;  obfer ved  on  our  left  the  convent 
of  St.  Sergius,  and  on  our  right  the  palace  of 
Strelna,  begun  by  Elizabeth,  but  never  fimflied. 
About  four  miles  further  we  paflfed  by  Pcter- 

♦  Cronftadt  will  be  defcribed  in  the  chapter  which 
treats  of  the  Ruffian  navy.  See  Book  VI.  in  the  next 
volume. 

hofj 


r 


C\  6.       PRINCE     MENTCHIKOF.       373 

liof ;  and  proceeded  to  Oranienbaum,  through 
a  country  covered  with  foreft. 

The  palace  of  Oranienbaum,  which  Hands 
near  the  fhore  of  the  Gulf  of  Finland,  about 
the  diftance  of  27  miles  from  Peterfburgh, 
was  erefted  by  Prince  Mentchikof,  while  he 
was  in  the  meridian  of  a  power,  to  which 
fcarcely  any  fubjedt  but  himfelf  has  ever  ar- 
rived. The  rife  of  this  extraordinary  man 
is  varioufly  related  by  different  authors.  Some 
afTert  that  he  was  apprentice  to  a  paftry-cook, 
and  fold  pies .  in  the  ftreets  of  Mofcow ;  that 
Peter,  once  flopping  to  converfe  with  him, 
was  fo  flruck  with  his  ready  wit  and  quick 
repartees,  that  he  took  him  into  his  fervice, 
and  advanced  him,  by  rapid  promotions,  to 
the  height  of  favour  which  he  afterwards  en- 
joyed :  others  declare,  that  he  was  the  fon  of 
a  groom  belonging  to  the  court,  and  was 
cafually  placed  about  the  perfon  of  the  em- 
peror.^. Both  thefe  accounts,  however  con- 
tradidtory  to  each  other,  fufficiently  fho w  the 
lownefi  and  uncertainty  of  his  origin :  and 
indeed  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  genealogy  of 

♦  The  former  opinion,  that  he  was  a  paftry-cook's  boy, 
feems  to  be  the  moft  probable,  as  it  is  prefcrre4  by  Weber, 
Manftein,  Bruce. 

B  b  3  an 


374         TRAVELS    INTO    RlfSSIA.         E.  4* 

im  upilart  £ivourite  £hould  not  be  tx^Sdy 
traced.  The  earlieft  account  upoa  recorcj 
concerning  him  is,  that,  m  the  year  1687, 
he  was  one  of  the  youths  *  whom  Peter  L 
formed  into  a  corps,  and  diiciplined  after  the 
European  manner.  The  young  tzar  was  only 
fifteen  years  old;  and  Mentchikof,  then  known 
by  the  name  of  Akxajca^  or  Little  Alexander, 
about  the  fame  age;  and  as  the  latter  was 
remarkably  aftive  in  his  exercife,  he  was  ob- 
ierved  by  Le  Fort,  and  by  him  recommended 
to  Peter.  Several  perfons  of  this  company 
were  afterwards  promoted  very  high  in  rfie 
RuHian  fervice ;  and  many  circtunftanccs  con- 
curred to  forward  the  advancement  of  Mejnt-* 
chikof.  He  rendered  himfelf  remarkably  ufe^ 
ful  to  the  tzar  in  his  plans  of  reformation ; 
he  paid  a  particular  attention  to  foreigners^^ 
whom  Peter  was  continually  drawing  into  his 
fervice ;  he  ftudied  his  mailer's  character  and 
temper ;  and  knew  how  to  fubmit  to  the 
groffeft  infults.  "  The  tzar,"  fays  Gordon, 
who  .was  himfelf  an  eye-witnefs,  "  often 
**  kicked  him  publicly,  and  beat  him  lik^  ^ 

,  ♦  Midler's  Nachricht  von  dcr  Urfprungc  des  Preobaf- 
9henfcifchcii,  &c.  in  Journal  of  St,  Peterfturgh  for  March, 
1778,  p,  173.  Furft  Menzikow  war  ciner  den  erften 
Potefcbnii.     See  alfo  Manftein,  p.  ii, 

II  ^<  dog  ; 


C.6.       PR,INCE     MENTCmKOF.       375 

*^  dog  5   fo   that  the   by-ftanders   concluded 
him  undone ;  but  always  next  morning  the 
peace  was  made  up,  which  people  belifeved 
could  not  proceed  but  from  fome  preter- 
**  natural  caufe*.*' 

One  inftance  of  his  imj)licit  obedience  to 
the  commands  of  the  tzar,  and  his  dexterity 
in  performing  them,  is  recorded  by  Korb, 
iecrctary  to  the  Auftrian  embafly.  It  is  a 
well-known  fad,  that  Peter  was  accuftomed 
to  aflift  at  the  examination  of  the  prifoner^ 
who  were  accufcd  of  high  treafbn ;  that  he 
would  be  prefent  at  the  tortures  inflifted  upon 
them  in  order  to  force  confeflion;  that  he 
would  frequently  attend  at  their  execution  j 
that  he  Nyould  fometimes  himfelf  perform  the 
pffice  of  executioner  •f' ;  and  would  occafiqnally 


♦  Gordon's  Life  of  Peter,  vol.  11.  p.  278.  Ko?^> 
alfo  fays,  ''  Alexafcam  vero  favoritam  fuum,  glad  10  ac- 
*'  cinftum  inter  tripudia  ^eprehendens,  deponendi  gladii 
"  morem  inflifto  colapho  docuit;  cujus  impetum  fanguis 
**  ex  naribus  abunde  defluus  fads  teftatus  eft,"  p.  84. 

f  "  Quinque  rebellium  capita  a  nohilijjimq  Mojcmi^ 
manu  fecuri  efle  ^mputata."    Korb  Diarium,  p.  170, 

L'Eyefque  makes  the  follo^ying  judicigus  femar^s  upon 
this  remarkable  circumftance. 

"  Peut  etre  ces  fortes  d'executions,  dont  Ics  grancjs 
*'  etaient  les  miniftres,  et  aux  quelles  le  prince  Jui-mernj5 
**  pr^xwi^  part,  etaient-elles  fondees  fur  quelque  ufage  ou 

B  b  ^  "fur 


376  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.4. 

confign  that  tafk  to  his  favourites  and  prin- 
cipal nobles  *,    Kprb  relates,  that,  foon  after 

the 

*'  fur  quclque  loi  dont  on  a  perdu  le  fouvenir.  Elles 
*^  etoient  referyees,  fans  dpute,  pour  ces  grandes  rebellions 
**  qui  mena^aient  I'etat  ct  le  fouverain,  La  noblefle,  pn 
^*  frappant  elle-meme  les  coupables,  prouvait  qu'elle  avoit 
f *  horreur  de  leur  complot  5  et  le  prince  gricvcment  of- 
**  fenfe,  fe  refcrvait  quelque  part  a  la  vengea|ice.  Ce 
*'  qui  femble  confirmer  ce  fentiment,  c'eft  que  Pierre  punit 
**  les  Strelits  de  la  mcme  maniere,  que  le  tfar  Ivan  s'etait 
f*  veng^  des  nobles  qui  lui  etaient  fufpefts.  Ce  rapport 
**  entre  le  ^rirae  et  la  punition  prouve  qu'ellc  nc  dependait 
f*  fei|lement  du  caprice  du  fouverain.  Pierre,  dirait-on, 
**  devait  abolir  cet  ufage*  Mais  poi|vait-il  changer  fi 
*'  promptement  les  coutumes,  les  loix,  fa  nation  &  lui- 
f'  mcme.'^    Vol.  IV.  p.  147. 

♦  Gordon  mentions  the  fame  circumftance,  but  he  only 
feys  *^  that  feveral  of  the  great  men,  whom  the  tzar  fuf- 
•*  pefted  to  have  been  engaged  in  this  confpiracy,  he 
^'  caufed  to  take  the  axe  into  their  hands,  and  obliged 
*'  them  to  cut  off  the  heads  of  fome  others  pf  the  coi^fpi- 
**  rators."  Vol.  I.  p.  130.  Korb  mentions,  among 
others,  the  names  of  Blumberg  and  Le  Fort,  whom  the 
tzar  defired  to  become  executioners,  but  who  excufed 
themfelves. 

*'  Quotquot  Bojarinorum  &  magnatum  concilio  inte- 
**  rerant,  quo  contra  rebelles  5trelizios  certamen  decretum 
*'  eft,  hodiernus  dies  ^d  novum  vocavit  tribunal :  fmgulis 
*^  finguli  rei  propofiti :  quemvis  oportebat  fententiam,  quam 
*'  di£bvei;at,  fepuri  ex^qui.  Princeps  Romadonowfki,  an- 
"  tequam  tumultuarentur,  quatuor  regiminum  dux  quatuor 
**  Strelizios,  urgente  majeftate,  eodem  ferro  ad  terram  pro- 

^^ftravitj 


ۥ6.      PRINCE     MENTfcHIKOF.       377 

the  infurrcdion  of  the  Strelitz  in  1698; 
Peter  fcornfully  reproached  many  of  the 
nobles  who  trembled  at  being  compelled  to 
behead  fome  rebels  ^  adding,  in  a  ftrain  of. 
fanguinary  juftice,  ^*  that  there  was  no  vidim 
*'  more  acceptable  to  the  Deity  than  a  wicked 
^'  man."  Mentchikof,  however,  dees  not 
feem  to  have  laboured  under  fuch  delicate 
feelings ;  for,  as  a  prelude  to  the  execution 
of  1 50  Strelitz,  he  drove  about  the  ftreets  of 
Mofcow  in  a    fledge    brandifliing   a    naked 

^*  ftravit ;  crudelidr  AUxafca  de  vigintt  decujjis  capitibus  glo^ 
**  riabatur ;  infelix  Gallizin,  qpod  male  feriendo  dolores 
**  damnati  multum  adauxerit,  330.  Una  fimul  edudli  ad 
*^  feralem  fecuris  i£hiin  late  patentem  planitiem  civili  qui- 
^  dem,  fed  impio  fanguine  purpurarunt.  Ad  idem  liftoris 
^'  ofHcium  cum  Barone  de  Blumberg  Generalis  Lcfort  in- 
5'  vitabatur  J  fed  excufantes,  id  domi  fuae  moris  non  efle, 
"  auditi  funt.  Ipfemet  tzarus  in  fella  fedens  totam  tra- 
*^  goediam,  tamque  horrendam  tot  hominum  lanienam 
?^  ficcis  oculis  infpeftabat,  hoc  unum  indignatus,  quod  Bo- 
*^  jarinorum  plurimi  infueto  huic  muneri  tremulas  manus 
^  admoviflent ;  cum  tamen  nulla  pinguior  viftima  Deo 
*^  ma<^ri  poffit,  quam  homo  fceleratus/'  p.  88,  89, 

And  again :  *^  Qui  vis  incertum  librabat  iftum,  novo  et 
**  infolito  muneri  tremulas  manus  admovens.  Infeliciffime 
"  omnium  feriebat  Bojarinorum  ille,  qui  aberrantcm  a 
*'  colla  gladium  in  tergus  miferat,  et  Strelizio  fie  in  me- 
^^  dium  ferme  diflefto,  dolores  ad  defperationem  auxiflet, 
f'  niji  AUxafca  fecuri  melius  infeUcis  ret  colhnn  tetigijfet^* 
Jbid.  p,  172, 

2  fword. 


378  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       p.  4. 

fword*,  and  boafted  of  his  adroitnefs  in 
cutting  off  twenty  heads.  It  was  not  merdy 
by  adts  of  buiFooncry  and  cruelty  that  he 
acquired  the  efteem  and  confidence  of  P^ter, 
tut  by  his  fuperior  abilities,  both  as  a  ftatef- 
man  and  a  foldier  -f-.  B^ing  choi^n  by  the 
emrperor  for  the  companion  of  his  travek  into 
foreign  parts,  he  was,  in  1706,  created  prince 
pf  the  German  empire ;  aijd  was  rapidly  ele- 
vated to  the  higheft  employments  both  in  the 
pvil  aivl  military  line.  On  particular  oc- 
cafions  he  was  even  permitted  to  perfbnate 
his  fovereign,  by  giving  public  audience  to 
foreign  ^mbafladors ;  while  Peter,  averfe  to 
fhc  pon^p  pf  royalty,  appeared  as  a  private 
perfon  in  his  fuite.  So  gre^t  indeed  was 
the  afcendancy  which  this  favourite  acquired 
over  the  emperor  (an  afcendancy  confirmed 
and  maintained  by  the  influence  of  Catha- 
rine J),  as   to  give  rife  to  a  report  among 

♦  Oftendtt  adhuc  eo  vefperefape  di^us  Alexarfdery  carpento 
per  omnia  urbis  compitia  ve£ius^  creberrima  nudi  enjis  oflen^ 
iatione^  quam  fanguinolentam  crqftini  diet  tragosdiam  ex-^ 
feSfaret, 

t  At  the  battle  of  Pultawa  he  had  three  horfes  Qptot 
under  him. 

X  Catharine  more  than  once  prevented  Mentchikof  ^s  diC- 
grace,  which  had  been  inevitable  without  her  intcrceffion. 
Baffevitz  in  Bufc.  H,  M.  IX.  p.  294, 

tha 


C.  6,      PRINCE     M?l^TCHIKOF.       379 

the  Ruffians,  that  he  had  fafciaated  by  witch^ 
cr^ft  the  mind  of  his^  mailer. 

Upon  the  death  of  Peter  his  power  was 
ftill  more  unbounded.  Catharine,  who  was 
chiefly  indebted  to  his  intrigues  and  abxKties 
for  her  elevation  to  the  throne,  gratefully 
refigned  to  him  the  fok  admin  ift ration  of 
afiairs ;  and  Ihe  may  be  called  the  oftenfible, 
while  he  was  the  real  fover^ign  ^ .  His  au- 
thority continued  undiminiflied  to  the  moment 
of  her  degeafe ;  and  the  claufe  in  her  will  -f, 
by  which  Ihe  ordered  her  fuccelTor  Peter  II. 
to  efpoufe  the  prince's  daughter,  was  at  once 
H  proof  of  his  afcendancy,  and  her  gratitude. 

His  intrigues  and  power,  his  ambition 
and  arrogance,  his  difrefpeftful  behaviour  to 
Peter  II •  %  and  the  pecuW  cir^umftances  of 

his 

*  ''  Le  gottvernemcnt,"  fays  Count  Munic,  "  n'etoit 
**  autre  chofe  que  le  vouhir  defpotique  du  Prince  Menfchi^ 
"  kow.^'  Ebauche,  &c.  p.  63. 

+  Gordon  fuppofes  that  this  will  was  forged  by  prince 
Mentchikof:  a  fuppofition  for  which  there  is  not  theleaft 
proof.  We  muft  diftinguifh  between  thofe  parts  of 
Gordon's  hiftory,  which  relate  to  events  while  he  was  in 
Ruffia,  and  the  others  which  he  wrote  after  he  quitted  that 
country  in  1 7 1 1 .  He  fpeaks  worfe  of  prince  Mentchikof  than 
Jie  feems  to  deferve,  and  particularly  arraigns  his  courage. 

X  Munic  gives,  amongft  others,  the  follov/ing  inftances 
pf  his  arrogance  :  "  J^orfqu'il  ecrivoit  au  jeune  empereur 


380  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        8.4, 

his  difgrace,  are  all  related  in  the  Memoirs  of 
Manftein*;  a  book  which  cannot  be  too 
highly  commended  as  an  authentic  and  im- 
partial work.  Two  days  before  his  fall  the 
prince  repaired  to  his  palace  of  Oranienbaum 
for  the  dedication  of  a  chapel,  having  pre- 
vioufly  mvited  Peter  II.  to  be  prcfent  at  the 
ceremony  :  the  latter  however  excufing  him- 
felf,  under  pretence  of  indifpofition,  the  chapel 
was  confecrated ;  and  it  did  not  efcape  notice, 
that  Mcntchikof  feated  himfelf  on  a  throne 
which  had  been  raifed  for  the  emperor. 
Being  arretted,  in  the  month  of  September, 
1727,  he  was  imprifoned  at  Berefof,  a  fmall 
town  upon  the  river  Oby,  in  a  wooden  hovel 
cnclofed  with  palifadoes,  where  he  ended  his 
days.  He  is  faid  to  have  fupported  his  dif- 
grace with  firmnefs  and  refignation  -f- :  he  re- 
ceived 

^'  il  le  traitoit  de  fils  et  fous-fignoit  la  lettre :  Votre  Perc 
**  Menfchikow.  Aux  eglifes  il  fe  mettoit  a  la  tribune  de 
•*  TEmpereur,"  &c.    Ebauchc,  &c.  p.  67. 

*  P.  2.  to  p.  13. 

+  Manftein,  p.  10.  Weber,  on  the  contrary,  aflerts, 
that  he  was  wretched  and  impatient,  and  became  fo  weary 
of  his  exiftence,  as  to  refufe  all  nouriftiment,  and  could 
be  prevailed  upon  to  fwallow  nothing  but  water.  Having 
continued  in  this  ftate  a  few  days  without  uttering  a  fingle 
word,  he  expired  on  the  2d  of  November,  1729.    Thf 

authority 


C.  6#       PRIJ^CE     MENTCHIKOF.       j9l 

ceived  a  daily  allowance  of  ten  roubles  *,  from, 
which  he  even  faved  a  fufficiency  to  build  a 
wooden  church  ;  and  amufed  himfelf  by  affift- 
ing  the  workmen  in  its  conftrudtion.  He 
furvived  his  fall  about  two  years  ^nd  five 
months,  dying  in  the  month  of  November, 
1729,  of  an  apoplexy -f-. 

The  wife  of  Prince  Mentchikof  was  fo 
afFefted  with  her  hufband's  difgrace,  that  fhe 
became  blind  with  weeping,  and  expired  on 
the  road  to  Berefof.  His  daughter,  who 
had  been  betrothed  to  the  emperor,  died 
before  her  father  in  prifon ;  and  the  remain- 
ing part  of  his  family,  confiiling  of  a  fon  and 
a  daughter,  were  releafed  on  the  acceflion  of 
the  emprefs  Anne.  The  daughter  was  mar- 
ried to  Guftavus  Biren,  brother  to  the  duke 
of  Courland;  and  the  fon  was  promoted  in 

authority  of  Manftein,  however,  is  in  this  inftance  to  be 
preferred  to  that  of  Weber ;  as  he  had  frequent  opportu- 
nities during  his  refidence  in  Ruffia  of  making  inquiries 
concerning  the  death  of  prince  Mentchikof,  after  his  family 
had  been  releafed  by  the  emprefs  Anne.  Whereas  Weber 
had  quitted  RufTia  before  that  period ;  and  he  inferts  his 
account  of  the  prince's  death  merely  as  a  report,  "  und 
"  man  meldete  damals,"  &c.  Ver.  Ruff.  v.  III.  p.  178. 

f  See  Schmidt  Materialien,  &c.  who  has  colIe£ted. every 
thing  relating  to  prince  Mentchikof,  p.  248,  &c. 

the 


5^2  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.4, 

Ac  2trmf  by  the  fame  emprefs.  A  grandfon 
of  prince  Mentchikof  is  now  living :  he  is 
an  officer  in  the  Ruflian  army ;  and  inherits 
only  the  name,  but  none  of  the  riches  or 
power  of  his  grandfather. 

Soon  after  the  fall  of  Mentchikof,  his 
palace  was  converted  into  an  hofpital  for 
feilors ;  but  was  afterwards  chofen  by  Peter  III. 
for  his  favourite  refidence.  The  middle  part 
of  the  edifice  remains  the  fame  as  it  was 
credted  by  Mentchikof,  and  confifts  of  two 
ftories,  containing  a  range  of  fmall  apart- 
ments :  the  wings,  which  are  long  buildings 
iqf  one  ftory,  were  added  by  the  emperor. 

Having  paffed  through  the  palace,  in  which 
diere  was  nothing  worthy  of  remark,  we  went 
to  the  fortrefs.  In  our  way  we  did  not  omit 
obferving  a  model  in  miniati^ire  of  a  citadel, 
which  Peter  III.  when  he  firft  contra<fled  a 
fondnefs  for  military  ftudies,  ordered  to  be 
made  for  the  purpofe  of  learning  pradlical 
fortification.  Advancing  a  little  further  we 
cime  to  the  fortrefs,  which  is  furrounded  with 
a  iditch  and  rampart,  and  ftrengthened  with 
baftions.  It  was  raifed  by  the  late  emperor 
when  he  was  great-^duke^  and  contains  a 
building  called  by  him  the  governor's  hdufe, 
whicJl^  he  generally  inhabited  himfelf,  and 

into 


C.  6.  O^  ANIE>J*AtrM.  5§^ 

into  which  he  admitted  only  his  officers  and 
favourites,  while  his  court  refided  in  the 
palace.  Near  it  were  barracks  for  a  fmall 
garrifon,  a  few  Wooden  houfes  for  the  prin- 
cipal officers,  and  a  fmall  Lutheran  chapel^ 
where  his  HoLftein  Ibldiers  affembled  fbr  di- 
vine fervice.  The  governor's  houfe  is  a  brick 
building  ftuccded,  with  four  windows  in  front; 
and  containing  about  eight  fmall  rooms. 
It  remains  exaftly  in  the  fame  ftate  as  during 
the  life-tiriie  of  the  emperor,  neither  the  fur- 
niture nor  the  bed,  in  which  he  flept  the  night 
preceding  his  depofition,  being  removed.  It 
had  a  white  fattin  coverlet,  and  was  on  a 
large  four-poft  bedftead,  with  curtains  of 
pink  and  fiKer  brocade,  and  ornamented  at 
the  top  with  plumes  of  red  and  white  feathers. 
Adjoining  to  this  apartment  is  a  neat  cabinet, 
hung  with  light  brown  filk,  upon  which 
were  feveral  figures  worked  by  the  em- 
prefs. 

From  the  fortrcfs  we  were  cohdufted  to  a 
large  gallery  of  pictures,  collefted  by  the  famfc 
emperor.  Among  feveral  portraits  of  that 
unfortunate  prince,  one  was  pointed  out  to 
us  as  a  ftriking  refemblance :  he  is  pairiti^ 
in  his  Hdlftein  uniform;  the  complexion  is 
fair,  and  the  hair  light ;  there  is  no  exprcffioa 

in 


384         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  4# 

in  the  features,  and  the  countenance  has  a 
very  effeminate  look. 

In  the  garden  is  an  elegant  pavilion,  con- 
ftrudted  by  order  of  the  emprefs  when  fhe  was 
great-duchefs  ;  it  contains  eighteen  apart- 
ments, each  furnifhed  in  different  taftes, 
namely,  the  Greek,  Turkifh,  Chinefe,  &c. 
and  is  fituated  in  the  midfl  of  a  thick  wood : 
its  approaches  being  circular,  we  had  not  the 
leaft  glimpfe  until  we  arrived  at  it ;  and  as  it 
generally  caufes  an  emotion  of  furprize,  it  has, 
for  that  reafon,  received  the  appellation  of 
Ha! 

In  the  gardens  of  Oranienbaum  is  a  very 
extraordinary  building,  denominated  the  Moun- 
tain for  Sledges,  and  called  alfo  by  fome  tra- 
vellers the  Flying  Mountain.  It  flands  in 
the  middle  of  an  oblong  area,  enclofed  by  an 
open  colonade  with  a  flat  roof,  which  is  railed 
for  the  convenience  of  holding  fpedtators. 
The  circumference  of  this  colonade  is  at 
leaft  half  a  mile.  In  the  middle  of  the  area 
ftands  the  flying  mountain,  flretching  nearly 
from  one  end  to  the  other.  It  is  a  wooden 
building,  fupported  upon  brick  walls,  repre- 
fenting  an  uneven  furface  of  ground,  or  a 
mountain  compofed  of  three  principal  afcents, 
gradually  diminijliing  in  height,  with  an  in- 
termediate 


J 


C.  6,  ORANIENBAUM.  38-5 

termediate  fpace  to  refemble  vallics  :  ftpm 
top  to  bottom  is  a  floored  way,  in  which 
three  parallel  grooves  are  formed*  It  is 
thus  ufed :  a  fmall  carriage,  containing  one 
perfon,  being  placed  in  the  center  groove 
^ipon  the  highefl  point,  goes  with  great  ra- 
pidity down  one  hill ;  the  velocity  which  it 
acquires  in  its  defcent  carries  it  up  a  fecond  ; 
and  it  continues  to  move  in  a  fimilar  mannec 
until  it  arrives  at  the  bottom  of  the  area,, 
where  it  rolls  for  a  confiderable  way  on  thjtf 
level  iiirface,  and  flops  before  it  attains  th^ 
boundary:  it  is  then  placed  in  one  of  tlw 
fide  grooves,  and  drawn  up  by  means  of  a 
cord  fixed  to  a  wiaidlafs.  To  a  perfon  un-t 
acquainted  with  the  mechanifin,  this  enter-^ 
tainment  would  ^pear  tremendous;  but  as 
the  grooves  always  keep  the  carriage  in  its 
right  direftion,  there  is  not  the  leaft  danger 
of  being  overturned;  At  the  top  of  the 
mountain  are  feveral  handfome  apartmentst 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  court  and  prin- 
cipal nobility ;  and  there  is  alfo  room  for 
many  thoufand  fpedtators  within  the  colonader 
and  upon  its  roof.  Near  the  flying  mountain  * 

is 

♦  Dr.  King,  in  his  EBzy  on  the  EffetSls  of  Cold,  has  de- 
fcribed  another  kind  of  Flying  Mountain,  which  was  erected 

Vo^  JI.  C  c  »t 


386         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  4. 

is  a  fpacious  amphitheatre,  in  which  tourna- 
ments are  ufually  exhibited. 

Peterhof  is  about  feven  miles  from  Ora- 
nienbaum,  and  twenty  from  the  capital :  the 
palace  was  begun  by  Peter  I.  and  finifhed  by 
Elizabeth.  It  is  feated  upon  an  eminence, 
and  commands  a  fuperb  view  of  Cronftadt, 
Peterfburgh,  the  intervening  gulf,  and  the  op- 
pofite  coaft  of  Carelia  :  it  is  magnificently 
furnifhed;  and  the  fuite  of  apartments  princely. 
The  prefence-chamber  is  ornamented  with  the 
portraits  of  the  fovereigns  of  the  houfe  of 
Romanof,  who  have  reigned  over  Ruffia  fince 
the  year  1613.  The  moft  confpicudus  amongft 
them  was  a  whole  length  of  the  prefent  em- 
prefs,  as  fhe  made  her  triumphant  entry  into 
Petcrfburgh  the  evening  of  the  revolution 
which  placed  her  upon  the  throne.  She  is 
rcprefented  drefled  like  a  man  in  the  uniform 
of  the  guards  ^  with  a  branch  of  oak  in  her 
hat ;  a  drawn  fword  in  her  hand ;  and 
mounted  upon  a  white  fteed. 

The  gardens  of  Peterhof  have  been  cele- 
brated for  their  tafte  and  elegance ;  and  from 
the  number  of  jet  d'eaus,  fountains,  bafons, 

at  Tzarfkoe-Zelo  :  it  was  taken  down  when  I  faw  the  place, 
Her  pfefeot  majefty  not  being  fo  fpnd  of  thefe  dtverfions  as 
die  late  emprcfs; 

cafcades. 


C.  6.  P    E    T    E    R    H    O    F.  387 

cafcades,  parterres,  &c.  have  been  compared 
to  thofe  of  Verfailles.  Thefe  gardens,  which, 
at  the  time  of  their  formation,  were  greatly 
admired  in  this  country,  though  not  congenial 
to  the  tafte  of  the  emprcfs,  are  fuffered  to 
remain  in  their  prefent  ftate ;  as  during  fum- 
mer  her  majefty  principally  refidesatTzarfkoe- 
Zelo,  where  the  grounds  arc  difpofed  in  a 
more  modern  and  pleafing  manner.  I  ihall 
not  detain  the  reader  with  a  defcription  of 
the  filver  dolphins  and  gilded  ftatues,  which 
are  fcattered  in  great  profufion  ;  but  I  canijot 
omit  mentioning  thofe  of  two  gladiators  pla- 
ced in  a  bafon  of  water :  they  are  reprefented, 
not  with  the  antient  weapons,  the  fword  and 
buckler,  but  with  the  more  modern  inftru- 
ments  of  war,  a  brace  of  piftols,  which  as 
they  point  to  each  other  in  threatening  at- 
titudes, the  water  rufhes  impetuoufly  from 
the  barrels. 

Part  of  the  garden  lies  between  the  palace  and 
the  gulf;  and  contaftis,  among  other  build- 
ings, one  fituated  clofe  to  the  water,  which 
is  worthy  of  particular  obfervation,  becaufe  it 
was  the  favourite  retreat  of  Peter  I.  As  the 
honfe  and  furniture  has  been  preferved  with  a 
kind  of  religious  veneration  e3cadJy  in  their 
original  ftate,  we  can  form  fome  idea  of  the 

C  c  2  plain 


388  TRAVELS    INTO  RUSSIA.         B.  4. 

plain  and  frugal  fimplicity  in  which  that 
monarch  was  accuftomed  to  live.  This  houfe 
was  built  foon  after  his  return  from  Holland, 
and  fitted  up  in  the  tafte  of  that  country,  for 
which  reafon  it  was  known  by  the  appellation 
of  the  Dutch  houfe :  he  ufed  alfo  to  call  it 
Monplai/irj  the  name  by  which  it  is  now  dif- 
tinguifhed.  Being  fnbjeft  to  fevers,  he  w^s 
prepoflefled  that  the  fea-air  *  was  the  moft 
ialutary  for  his  conftitution ;  and  for  that 
reafon  caufed  this  fmall  houfe  to  be  placed 
clofe  to  the  Gulf  of  Finland.  It  is  of  brick, 
of  one  ftory,  and  roofed  with  iron  :  the  win- 
dows reach  from  the   ground   to   the  top ; 

• 

♦  '*  Le  czar  prft  a  Riga  une  forte  attaque  de  fievre 
**  chaude.  Pour  s'en  remettre,  il  fe  logea  une  huitaine 
*'  de  jours  dans  un  vaiffeau.  A  fon  avis,  Tair^des  eaux 
"  reftaurait  la  fante.  Peu  de  journees  paflees  fans  le  ref- 
**  pirer.  Se  levant  au  point  du  jour,  et  dinant  a  onze 
"  heures  du  matin,  il  avait  coutume  de  foire  un  foqimei) 
**  apres  le  repaS.  Un  lit  de  r^pos  pour  cet  ufage  etait 
"  drcfle  dans  la  fregatte,  et  il  y  allait  en  toute  faifon. 
•*  Meme  lorfqu'il  fej.ournait  en  ete  a  Peterfhoff,  Tair  des 
^  vaftes  jardins  de  ce  palais  lui  femblait  etoufFe,  et  il  cou- 
**  cbait  a  Monplaifir^  maifon,  dont  les  flots  des  la  mer 
Y  lavent  un  cote,  et  dont  Pautre  confine  au  grand  pare 
**  de  Peterfhoff,  C'etait  fa  retraite  fevorite.  II  Pavait 
^  meublqe  de  tableaux  flamans5  r£prefentant  des  fcencs 
^'champetres  ct  maritimes,  plaifantes  pour  la  pWpart." 
Baflcvitz,  i%B.  H.  M.  IX,  p.  339. 

which^ 


C.6.  P    E    T    E    R    H    O    F,  389 

which,  added  to  the  length  and  Ibwnefs  of  the 
building,  give  it  the  appearance  of  a  green- 
houfe.  The  habitable  part  confifts  of  an 
hall  and  fix  fmall  rooms,  which  are  all 
furnifhed  in  the  neateil  and  plaineft  manner. 
The  mantle-pieces  are  ornamented  with  curi- 
ous old  porcelaine,  which  he  greatly  priced 
as  being  brought  into  Ruffia  when  the  com- 
munication was  fir  ft  opened  with  China  • 
The  bed-room  is  fmall,  white-wafhed,  and 
the  floor  covered  with  a  coloitred  fail-cloth. 
It  contains  a  barrack-bedftead  without  cur- 
tains; and  I  obferved  that  the  fheets  were 
remarkably  fine.  The  galleries  on  each  fide^ 
and  two  fmall  rooms,  are  hung  with  pictures 
of  the  Dutch  ^nd  Flemifh  fchools ;  among 
thefe  were  fcveral  portraits  of  himfelf  under 
the  charadler  of  mafter  Peter  when  he  worked 
at  Sardam  ;  and  one  of  his  favourite  miftrefs 
the  beautiful  Dutch  girl. 

Being  anxious  to  vifit  every  remarkable 
place  in  the  neighbourhood  of  this  city,  I  did 
not  fail  repairing  to  Schluffelburgh ;  a  fortrefs 
often  mentioned  in  the  Ruffian  hiftory,  and  ce- 
lebrated for  the  number  and  rank  of  the  ftate 
prifoners  who  have  been  there  confined. 

Schluffelburgh  lies  at  the  diftance  of  40 
miles  from  Peterfburgh :  the  road  runs  the 

C  c  3  whole 


3^0  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIAr       «.  4. 

whole  way  by  the  fide  of  the  Neva,  which 
flows  with  a  full  ftream  in  a  broad  and  wind- 
ing channel  -,  its  banks,  which  are  fteep  and 
high,  are  ftudded  with  many  villages,  and 
feveral  country  houfes  prettily  difperfed  and 
hanging  over  the  edge  of  the  water.  The 
village  of  Schluflelburgh,  which  is  fituated 
on  each  fide  of  the  Neva,  contains  about  300 
wooden  houfes,  and  about  2800  inhabi- 
tants. 

The  fortrefs  is  built  upon  a  fmall  ifland  of 
the  Neva,  at  the  point  where  that  river  ifliies 
from  the  lake  Ladoga*  The  breadth  of  the 
ftream  in  that  part  i?  about  three  quarters  of 
a  mile,  and  the  current  is  remarkably  rapid. 

The  origin  of  this  fortrefs  is  thus  traced  by 
the  Ruflian  hiftorians.  In  1324  George 
Danilovitch,  great-duke  of  Mofcow,  being 
upon  an  expedition  againft  Wiburgh,  built  a 
fmall  fortrefs  in  the  middle  of  this  iiland, 
which  was  then  caHed,  from  its  oblong  fhape, 
Orekoffki  Oftrof,  or  Nut  Ifland;  from  this 
appellation  the  fortrefs  took  its  nameof  Orek- 
ovetch,  which  was  corrupted  into  Orelhek. 
Being  befieged  and  taken  by  Magnus  king  of 
Sweden,  the  Swedes  tranflated  the  name  into 
their  own  language,  and  called  it  Noteborg. 
It  again  came  into  the  poflefllxon  of  the  Ruf- 
fians, 


C.  6,  SCHLUSSELBURGH.  391 

fians,  who  retained  it  until  1 6 1 4,  when  Gufta- 
vus  Adolphus  forced  the  garrifon  to  capitu- 
late. It  was  probably  fince  this  laft  period, 
that  the  Swedes  encircled  the  whole  ifland 
with  a  wall  and  battlements,  the  fame  which 
fubfift  at  prefent. 

In  1702  Peter  advanced  to  the  frontiers  of 
Sweden  with  a  confiderable  army ;  and,  hav- 
ing made  feveral  ineffeftual  attempts  againft 
Noteborg,  he  fent  prince  Galitzin,^  colonel 
of  the  guards,  at  the  head  of  a  feledl  corps,  to 
take  it  by  ftorm.  That  officer  having,  by 
means  of  rafts,  landed  his  foldiers  clofe  to 
the  fortifications,  which  advance  almoft  to 
the  fdge  of  the  water,  they  were  received 
with  fuch  cool  intrepidity  by  the  garrifon,  and 
expofed  to  fo  dreadful  a  carnage ;  that  Peter, 
conceiving  the  afTault  to  be  impracticable,  fent 
immediate  orders  for  the  Ruffians  to  retire  : 
Prince  Galitzin,  however,  refufed  to  obey. 
**  Tell  my  fovereign,"  added  he,  **  that  I  am 
**  no  longer  his  fubjed: ;  having  thrown  my- 
**  felf  under  the  protection  of  a  power  far 
^'  fuperior  to  him."  Then,  turning  to  his 
troops,  he  animated  them  by  his  voice  and 
example,  and,  leading  them  to  the  attack, 
fcaled  the  walls  and  took  the  fortrefs.  Peter 
was  fomuch  ftruck  with  this  exploit,  that,  upon 

C  c  4  his 


392  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  4. 

his  next  interview  with  Galitzin,  he  faid  to 
him,  **  Afk  what  you  chufe,  except  Mofcow 
^*  and  Catharine/'  The  prince,  with  a  mag- 
nanimity which  reflefts  the  higheft  honour 
upon  his  charader,  inftantly  requefted  the 
pardon  of  his  antient- rival  prince  Repnin,  who 
had  been  degraded  by  Peter  from  the  rank  of 
marfhal  to  that  of  a  common-  foWier :  he  ob- 
tained his  requeft;  and  with  it  the  confi- 
dence of  his  fovereign  ;  the  efteem  of  Repnin  -, 
and  the  applaufe  of  the  publick  *. 

Peter  changed  the  name  of  the  fortrefs  into 
Schluflclburgh,  its  prefent  appellation,  becaufe, 
from  the  importance  of  its  iituation,  he  con- 
fidered  it  as  the  key  ^  of  his  conqucfts.  From 
this  period  it  has  continued  in  the  poffeffion 
of  the  Ruffians  :  but,  fince  the  boundaries  of 
the  empire  have  been  confidcrably  extended, 
it  is  no  longer  of  that  importance  as  it  was 
when  fituated  upon  the  frontiers  of  the  Swed- 
ifh  territory ;  and  for  its  great  ftrength  and 
infulated  fituation,  it  has  been  chiefly  ufed 
for  a  ftate-prifon, 

*  I  received  this  anecdote  from  one  of  the  defccndants 
of  Prince  Galijzin,  and  its  truth  ivas  confirmed  by  many 
Ruffian  noblemen. 

t  Schluffel  in  German  fignlfies  a  key  j  and  Peter  affedled 
to  give  many  places  a  German  appellation. 

2  The 


r 


C,6.  SCHLUSSELBURGH.  393 

The  ifland,  which  lies  juft  midway  between 
the  oppofite  banks,  is,  as  I  have  before  ob- 
ferved,  of  an  oblong  fhape,  fcarcely  more 
than  600  yards  in  kngth,  and  260  in  its 
greateft  breadth.  The  walls,  which  fkift  al-* 
nioft  its  whole  circumference,  are  built  with 
ftone  and  brick,  about  fifty  feet  in  height,  and 
from  eleven  to  twenty  thick ;  and  are  ftrength- 
ened,  according  to  the  antient  mode  of  fortifi- 
cation, with  battlements  and  eight  round 
towers.  We  pafl!cd  over  a  draw-bridge  into 
the  fortrefs,  which  we  examined,  but  without 
being  permitted  to  enter  any  of  the  wards 
wherein  the  prilbners  are  confined.  A  range 
of  corridors,  open  on  the  inner  fide,  enclofei 
a  large  area,  and  contains  feveral  dungeons 
for  the  prifoners.  We  obferved  the  windows 
of  thefe  dungeons  clofed  with  brick,  leaving 
'^  toveards  their  top  only  a  vacant  fpace  of  a 
few  inches  fquare,  which  admits  fo  little  light, 
that  the  unfortunate  inhabitants  have  only  a 
kind  of  twilight  gloom.  In  the  middle  of 
the  area  is  the  governor's  houfe,  and  a  fmall 
wooden  cottage,  wherein  a  ftate-prifoner  was 
confined.  Further  on  we  entered  through  a 
portcullis-gate  into  the  interior  fortrefs,  which 
was  built  by  George  Danilovitch  in  the  year 
1324 :  it  is  about  140  feet  fquare,  open  at  top, 

with 


394        TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA,         B.4. 

with  ftone  walls  remarkably  high.  Within 
we  obferved  a  brick  houfe  of  one  ftory,  which 
reaches  from  one  fide  to  the  other,  and  con- 
tains eleven  rooms,  each  about  feventeen  feet 
by  twelve.  It  is  ftill  unfinifhed,  the  floors 
not  being  laid,  and  has  never  been  inhabited. 
This  houfe  was  built  by  order  of  the  late 
emperor  Peter  IIL  with  fuch  expedition,  that 
it  was  begun  and  brought  to  its  prefent  ftate 
in  lefs  than  fix  weeks ;  but  his  depofition  put 
an  immediate  flop  to  its  progrefs.  The  con^- 
ftrudiion  of  fo  large  a  building  in  fo  fecure  a 
place,  and  in  fuch  a  fmall  fpace  of  time,  has 
always  been  deemed  a  myftery ;  but  there  is 
every  reafon  to  fuppofe  that  he  intended  it  for 
his  confort  the  prefent  emprefs,  whom  it  is  now 
well  known  he  had  determined  to  divorce  and 
imprifon.  That  mifguided  and  unfortunate 
prince  came  a  few  weeks  before  his  depofition 
to  Schluflelburgh,  to  fee  prince  Ivan ;  when 
Jie  examined  this  houfe  with  great  attentiqn, 
and  feemed  fatisfied  with  the  expedition  of  the 

workmen  *. 

Several 

*  Bufching  fuppofes  that  Peter  conftru£led  a  houfe  for 
prince  Ivan  in  the  fortrefs  of  Schluflelburgh.  This  can 
mean  no  other  houfe  than  that  defcribed  in  the  text,  which 
1  am  convinced  was  defigned  for  the  emprefs  -,  but  Bufchir^ 

probably 


C.  6.  SCHLUSSELBURGH.  395 

Several  ftate  prifoners  of  high  rank  have 
been  confined  in  this  fortrefs  j  among  the 
moft  remarkable  are  the  following:  Maria  *, 
fitter  of  Peter  the  Great ;  Eudocia  -f-,  firft  wife 

of 

prpba^bly  did  not  know  that  Ivan  was  removed  to  KexhoUn 
the  beginning  of  June.     Bufching,  vol,  VI.  p.  531. 

See  the  account  of  prince  Ivan  in  Book  V.  Chap.  II. 
in  the  next  volume. 

♦  Maria  was  imprifoned  upon  fufpicion  of  being  cfbn- 
cerned  with  Alexey;  was  again  releafed,  and  died  at 
Peterlburgh  in  1723. 

+  Eudocia  was  married,  in  1689  to  Peter  the  Great^ 
then  only  in  the  i8th  year  of  his  age  j  and  was  delivered  of 
Alexey  in  1690.  Her  oppofition  to  Peter's  plans  of  re- 
formation, and  her  repeated  remonftrances  again!):  his 
incontinence,  occafioned  her  divorce,  which  took  place 
in  1696 ;  when  flie  was  compelled  to  aflume  the  veil,  and 
was  confined  in  a  convent  at  Sufdal.  During  her  refi- 
dence  in  that  convent,  flie  is  reported  to  have  contraSed 
a  connection  with  a  general  Glebof,  and  even  to  have 
entered  into  a  contrail  of  marriage  by  exchanging  rings 
with  him.  Encouraged  by  the  predictions  of  the  arch- 
bifliop  of  Roftof,  who,  from  a  dream,  announced  to  her  the 
death  of  Pfeter,  and  her  immediate  return  to  court  under 
the  reign  of  her  fon  Alexey,  (he  re-afliimed  her  fecular 
drefs,  and  was  publicly  prayed  for  in  the  church  of  the 
convent  under  the  name  of  the  emprefs  Eudocia.  Being 
brought  to  Mofcow  in  17 18,  and  examined,  flie  was,  by 
order  of  her  inhuman  hufband,  fcourged  by  two  nuns, 
and  imprifoned  in  the  convent  of  New  Ladoga,  without 
being  jTufiered  to  fee  any  one  but  the  perfons  who  brought 

her 


5^6  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  4. 

of  the  fame  monarch,  who  was  here  imprifon- 
ed  in  one  of  the  moft  gloomy  cells.  Count 
Piper,  miniftcr  to  Charles  XII.  who  was  taken 
at  the  battle  of  Pultava,  died  here  after  a  lin- 
gering captivity.  Biren  duke  of  Courland, 
favourite  of  the  emprefs  Anne,  and  regent 
of  Ruflia,  here  exchanged  the  pomp  of  pa- 
laces   for  a  loathfome    dungeon  j    and    the 

her  food,  which  fhc  drefled  herfelf,  for  fhc  had  no  fervant 
to  do  the  moft  flavifii  offices,  nor  more  than  one  cell  for 
her  perfon.  See  Letters  from  a  Lady  in  Ruffia,  p.  46. 
From  thence  fhe  was  removed  to  the  fortrefs  of  Schluffel- 
bin^h.  Being  releafed  upon  the  acceffion  of  her  grand- 
ion  Peter  III.  Ihe  repaired  to  Mofcow,  was  prefent  at  his 
coronation^  as  well  as  that  of  die  emprefs  Anne,  and  ex- 
pired in  die  Dcvitchei  nmmcry,  where  fhe  held  her  court, 
in  1731,  in  the  59th  year  of  her  age*. 

This  princcfe,  though  certainly  a  weak  woman,  perhaps 
tras  not  fo  guilty  as  file  was  reprefented  by  Peter.  Mrs.  Vi- 
gor, who  faw  and  converted  with  her  at  Mofcow  \n  the 
year  1731,  afliires  us,  diat  Glebof  **  underwent  fuch 
**  repeated  tortures,  as  it  was  thought  no  creature  could 
**  have  borne,  with  great  conftancy,  perfifting  in  his  own 
*'  and  her  innocence  during  his  torments.  At  laft  the 
**  czar  himfelf  came  to  him,  and  offered  him  pardon  if 
**  he  would  confefs.  He  fpit  in  the  czar's  face,  and  told 
**  him,  he  fliould  difdain  to  fpeak  to  him,  but  he  thought 
•^  himfelf  obliged  to  clear  his  miftrcfs,  who  was  as  virtuous 
*^  a  woman  as  any  in  the  world,'*  &c.  See  Ibid.  p.  44. 
See  Voltaire,  Schmidt,  &c. 

*  Sfhmidt,  Gen.  Tab.  in.  his  KulT.  Gef, 

•  -  • 

ill-fated 


C.6.  8CHLUSSELBURGH.  397 

ill-fated  Ivan,  after  an  imprifonment  of  three 
and  twenty  years,  i)ere  fuifered  an  untimely 
death. 

Thefe  melancholy  ideas,  heightened  by  the 
dreadful  gloom,  the  dead  filence,  and  the  a>v- 
ful  appearance  of  a  few  folitary  centinels, 
communicated  foch  an  impreffion  as  will  not 
eafily  be  obliterated  j  and  even  at  tjiis  diftance 
of  time  and  place,  I  fhudder  at  the  recol- 
leitipn  of  a  Ruffian  ftate-prifon. 


CH  AP^ 


398         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B^  4. 


CHAP.     VII. 

Cy  Catharine  I. — Her  origin  and  early  adven- 
tures.— Married  to  a  Swcdifh  dragoon. — 
Captured  by  the  Ruffians. — Becomes  the 
mifirefsj  confort^  and  fucceffor  of  Peter  the 
Great. — Death  of  that  monarch  without  ap-- 
pointing  his  fuccejjhr. — Hijiory  ^  Catharine  V 
elevation  to  the  throne. — Her  death  and  cha-- 
raster. 

MANY  authors  have  exprefled  great 
furprize  at  the  contradi(3:ory  re- 
ports»  relative  to  the  origin  of  fo  extraor- 
dinary a  perfonage  as  Catharine  I.  But  when 
wc  confider  the  lownefs  of  her  extraction, 
the  variety  of  uncommon  adventures  which 
befel  her  during  the  early  period  of  her  life, 
her  equivocal  fituation  with  general  Bauer  and 
prince  Mentchikof,  before  her  connexion  with 
Peter  the  Great ;  and  that  fhe  did  not  excite 
the  public  curiofity  until  (he  became  the  fa- 
vourite of  that  emperor,  when  fhe  and  her 
friends  could  prevent,  as  much  as  poffible, 
all  inquiries  into  her  former  fituation ;  I  am 
Co  far  from  being  furprized  we  know  fo  little, 

that 


C.  7.  C  A  T  H  A  R  I  N  E      1.  3^9 

that  I  rather  wonder  we  are  acquainted  with 
jTo  many  particulars  concerning  her  birth  and 
early  adventures.  To  expert  that  the  hiftory 
of  a  perfon  of  low  extraftion,  who  gradually 
rofe  to  the  moft  exalted  ftation,  ihould  con- 
tain no  uncertain  and  difcordant  accounts,  is 
to  expedt  impoflibilities .  All  that  remains, 
therefore,  is,  without  prejudice  or  partiality, 
to  examine  and  compare  the  various  hiilories 
of  Catharine  I.  and  to. coiled:  from  the  whole 
the  moft  rational  and  probable  narrative. 
Catharine  was  the  natural  daughter  *  of  a 

country 

*  I  fhall  here  fay  a  few  words  concerning  the  authors 
from  whom  I  have  principally  extrafted  this  account  of 
Catharine  L  The  firft  and  moft  authentic  of  thefe  is 
Weber. 

1.  Weber  was  the  Hanoverian  refident  at  Peteriburgh 
during  part  of  the  reign  of  Peter  I.  and  took  extraordinary 
pains  to  obtain  the  beft  information  relative  to  the  origin  of 
Catharine.  He  learnt  the  RufEan  language  of  Wurmb, 
who  had  been  tutor  to  Gluck's  children  at  the  time  when 
Catharine  was  in  that  minifter's  houfe  at  Marienburgh,  an4 
who  was  at  Peter fburgh  in  1 7 14:  from  him,  therefore,  he 
'was  able  to  obtain  the  moft  authentic  intelligence.  Can 
we  wifh  for  more  accurate  information  ?  Weber  may  pof- 
fibly  have  been  miftaken  in  a  few  trifling  incidents,  but  his 
narrative  upon  die  whole  is  to  be  depended  upon.  See  Ve- 
randertcs  Rufsland,  vol.  III.  p.  7 — 10. 

2.  La  Motraye,  in  his  Travels,  has  given  a  fhort  ac- 
count of  Catharine's  family,  &c.     Among  other  intelli- 
gence. 


40O         TRAVELS    INTO   RUSSIA*        B*4* 

country  girl ;  and  was  born  at  Ringcn,  a  fmall 

village 

genee,  be  coUeSed  much  mformation  from  a  Livoniatx 
girl,  who  had  been  fold  by  the  RufSans  to  the  Turks,  and 
whom  he  bought  in  Turkey  of  the  Janizaries :  this  girl 
knew  (Jatharine  at  Marienburgh,  and  told  him  feveral 
particulars  relating  to  her,  which  were  afterwards  confirmr 
ed  to  him  in  Livonia.  The  account  of  La  Motraye  cor^ 
refppnds  with  that  of  Weber  in  the  principal  events,  differ- 
ing only  in  a  few  trifling  points. 

3,  Bruce  has  alfo  given  an  account  of  the  origin  of 
Catharine  in  hi$  Memoirs  lately  publifhed,  which  he  re<* 
ktes  as  he  heard  it  told  by  thofe  who  knew  her  from  her 
infancy.  His  narrative  correfponds,  upon  the  whole,  with 
that  of  Weber  in  all  eflential  circumftances.  In  the  courfe 
of  this  inquiry  I  (hall  point  out  one  or  two  immaterial  in- 
ftances  wherein  they  differ. 

Thefe  three  perfons  are  the  principal  authors  who  were 
in  Ruffia  towards  the  beginning  of  this  century,  and  who 
collefled  information  upon  the  fpot:  we  may  therefore 
rely  upon  them  with  more  fefety  than  upon  later  authors  ( 
and  diey  all  agree  in  confirming  the  lownefs  of  her  birdi 
and  her  marriage  with  the  Swedifh  dragoon. 

Voltaire,  in  his  Life  of  Peter  L  has  flightly  palled  over 
the  early  adventures  of  Catharine  :  he  mentions  nothing  of 
her  birth,  her  marriage  with  the  Swedifh  foldier ;  as  cir- 
cumftances derogatory  from  the  honour  of  the  mother  of 
the  emprefs  Elizabeth,  by  whofe  defire  he  wrote  the  Life 
of  Peter  the  Great.  But,  >^lling  to  ennoble  the  family  of 
Catharine  L  he  records  a  ftrang^  ft^ry,  which  has  all  the  air 
of  a  romance,-  concerning  a  brother  of  Catharine,  named 
Scavronfki,  who  was  found  to  be  the  fon  of  a  gentleman  of 
Lithuania.     Voltaire  cites  for.  his  authority  "  le  manu- 

«  fcrit 


Q,J.  CATHARINE      I.  40I 

village  upon  the  Lake  Virtcherve,  near  Dorpt> 


in 


^  fcrit  curieux  d'lin  hdmme  qui  etait  alors  au  fervice  du 
"czar,  &  qui  parle  comme  tempini"  but  Without  men- 
tioning his  nartie. 

From  Voltaire  many  fucceeding  authors  have  advanced 
that  Catharine  was  of  the  femily  of  Scavroniki ;  and  it  is 
certain  that  the  emprefs  Elizabeth  acknowledged  that 
family  as  her  relations,  and  conferred  feverd  honours  upon 
ib  members. 

This  anecdote  concerning  Scavronflci  is  pofitively  con- 
tradifted  by  a  paflage  in  Bafleviti,  who  afliftfed  Mentchikof 
iti  raifing  Catharine  to  the  throne,  and  who  m'uft  have 
known  if  any  brother  of  Catharine  had  been  at  Peterfburgh 
during  the  life  of  Peter.  He  aflerts,  that  Catharine  did 
not  produce  any  of  her  relations  during  Peter's  life : 
that  after  his  death  1  perfon  made  his  appearance  at  Pe- 
terfburgh as  her  brother,  under  the  name  of  count  Hendri- 
kof ;  that  he  lived  in  obfcurity  during  the  reigns  of  Peter  II. 
and  Anne ;  arid  that  Elizabeth  made  his  fon  a  chamber- 
lain.    Bufching,  IX.  p.  295- 

Weber  alfo  upon  this  head  relates,  *^  that  a  near  relation 
**  of  Catharine  came  to  Peterfburgh  with  his  family,  con- 
'*  filling  of  three  fons  and  two  daughters.  He  was  called 
*'  count  Ikavoronfki  [certainly  the  fame  as  Scavronflci]  5 
**  the  eldefl  daughter,  Sophia,  was  taken  by  the  emprefs 
**  to  be  her  maid  of  honour ;  the  other  children  were  edu- 
"  cated  by  their  father.  The  arrival  of  thefe  Jlrangers 
**  gave  rife  to  many  reports  concerning  the  origin  of  Ca- 
*'  tharine ;  that  her  father,  whofe  name  was  faid  to  be 
"  John  Rabe,  was  a  quarter-mafler  in  a  Swedifh  regiment; 
**  that  her  mother  was  the  daughter  of  a  town-fecretary 
^'  of  Riga,  and  was  delivered  in  1682  of  Catharine.     The 

Vol.  II.  Dd  "widow. 


4C2  *TRAVEi:»   INTO    RUSSIA.      B.  4. 

in  Livonia.     The  year  of  her  birth  is  un- 
certain ; 

•*  widow,  after  ber  hwfband^s  death,  went  to  her  relations 
•'  at  Riga ;  but  dying  foon  afterwards^  Gluck  took  the 
•*  foundling  into  his  family*  Thefe  reports,  which  began 
**  to  circulate,  occafioned  a  public  decree,  forbidding  all 
. "  perfons,  upon  pain  of  death,  from  uttering  difreipeiStful 
**  exprcflions  againft  the  late  emperor,  or  the  reigiyng  era- 
"  prefe  and  her  family-"     Ver,  Ruff.  VoL  III.  p.  76. 

We  may  indeed  take  it  for  granted,  that  if  Catjiarine's 
family  had  been  nobly  defcended,  the  fecret  would  have 
been  difcovered  during  the  life  of  Peter,  and  have  been 
favourably  received  by  that  emperor,  who  was  prevented 
by  the  obfcurity  of  her  birth  from  carrying  her  with  him  to 
Paris,  not  willing  to  expofe  her  to  any  infult :  **  II  ne  vouloit 
**  pas  Texpofer,  dit-on,  aux  rebuts  qu'il  craignait  pour  elle, 
**  vu  robfcuriti  de  fa  naij/ancfj  de  la  dclicateffe  Friancaifc.'* 
Baffevitz  in  Buf.  Mag.  IX.  p.  316. 

An  Auftrian  envoy,  who  v^^as  at  Peterfijurgh  in  1725, 
smd  wrote  an  account  to  bis  court  of  her  aeceffipn  to  the 
throne,  fays,  "  that  (he  was  a  natural  daughter  of  a  Livo- 
*'  niaii  nobleman,  whofe  name  was  Alvendhel  j  that  her 
'*  mother  afterwards  married  a  rich  peafant,  by  whom, 
•^  fbe  had  a  fon  and  a  daughter  >  that  the  former  was  put 
**  to  death  by  Peter,  for  openly  dcclarii^  himfelf  to  be  the 
^  brother  of  Catharine ;  and  that  the  ftfter  received  forfome 
*'  time  a  penfion  of  300  roubles  from  die  emprcfs,  but 
*'  was  afterwards  confined  in  a  houfe  of  correction  during 

the  reign  of  Peter  L  by  Catharine's  defire."    He  adds, 

that  Catharine  was  brought  up  in  Gluck's  houfe  j  that 
**  ibe  became  the  miftrefs  of  Tiefenhoufen,  a  captain  of 
"  a  Swedifh  troop,  by  whom  fhc  had  a  fon  j  that  he  after-. 
*'  wards  gave  her  in  marriage  tp  a  dragoon  of  his  troop, 
*'  with  whom  (he  lived  three  years,  until  fhc  was  taken 

"  prifoner 


C*  7*  C  A  T  tt  A  R  I  N  E      1.  403 

certain ;    but,   according   to    her  own    ac- 
count, 

^,  prifoner  it  NarVa  by  the  Ruffians.*'  But  this  miniftei^ 
who  is  well  informed  in  what  relates  to  the  latter  part  of 
Catharine's  life^  and  the  means  by  which  fhe  afcended  the 
throne^  feems  to  have  retailed  many  idle  f eports  about  her 
family  and  early  hiftory.     Bufch.  Hift.  Mag.  XI.  p.  48. 

Before  I  dofe. this:  note  I  muft  neceflarily  mention  the 
©pinion  of  Bufching)  who,  during  his  refidence  at  Petert* 
burgh,  collefted  much  authentic  information  in  refpeil  to 
the  various  parts  of  the  Ruffian  hiftory :  amongft  other 
articles,  he  has  given  anecdotes  of  Catharine  L  which  he 
opens  by  faying,  "  All  the  accounts  which  Writer^  have 
"  hitherto  givcq,  or  rather  conjeftured,  of  the  birth  and  fa- 
**  mily  of  Catharine  I.  are  falfe.'*  Ibid.  III.  p.  190. 
He  fays  that  her  family  was  from  Lithuania,  and  her 
father's  name  Samuel  5  that  her  brother  was  count  Charl^ 
Scavronfki ;  that  her  fifter  Chriftina  was  married  to  count 
Simon  Hendrikof,  and  the  6ther,  whofe  name  wad  Anild^ 
to  Michael  Y^fimofki.  He  confirms  her  marriage  with 
the  Swediih  dragoon,  but  places  the  fcene  at  Frauftadt  in 
Poland,  and  not  at  Marienburgh.  He  informs  us,  that  he 
obtained  this  information  from  an  old  lady  whofe  namd  he 
conceals,  who  died  lately  at  Peterfburgh,  and  tvho  kntw 
Catharine  fronl  her  firfl  appearance  in  Ruffia,  and  was 
greatly  in  that  emprefs^s  favour.  He  ^dds  alfo  an  account 
c^  an  dfflcei'  Who  bitought  Catharine's  fifter  Aiine  from 
Lithuania  to  Peterfburgh.  With  great  deference,  how- 
ever, to  fo  refpedablc  an  authority,  we  cannot,  merely  upoa 
this  hear«*fay  evidence,  fet  afide  the  teftimonies  of  Webcr^ 
Xa  Motraye,  and  Bruce :  this  ftory  feems,  in  efFedi,  the 
lame  flying  report  a^  that  in  Voltaire  5  and  the  lady  who 
gave  the  intelligence  to  Bufching  might  have  been  willing 
U  ratify  the  current  report  in  Elizabeth's  time,  in  honour 

Dd2  rf 


404  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.4, 

count*,  fhe  came  into  the  world  on  the  5th  of 
April,  1689.  Her  original  name  was  Martha, 
which  fhe  changed  for  Catharine  when  fhe 
embraced  the  Greek  religion.  Count  Rofen, 
a  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  Swedifli  lervice, 
who  owned  the  village  of  Ringen,  fupported, 
according  to  the  cuftom  of  the  country,  both 
the  mother  and  the  child;  and  was,  for 
that  reafon,  fuppofed  by  many  perfons  to 
have  been  her  father.  She  loft  her  mother 
when  fhe  was  but  three  years  old;  and,  as 
count  Rofen  died  about  the  fame  time,  fhe 
was  left  in  fo  deftitute  a  fituation,  that  the 
parilh  clerk  of  the  village  received  her  intp 
his  houfe.     Soon  afterwards  Gluck,  Lutheran 

of  her  friend  and  patronefs  Catharine  L  It  appears,  how- 
ever, as  well  from  this  intelligence  as  from  the  information  of 
Weber  and  Baffevitz,  that  fome  real  or  pretended  relations 
of  Catharine  I.  made  their  appearance  at  Peterfburgh  dur- 
ing her  reign ;  that  they  were  acknowledged  and  promoted 
by  her,  and  afterwards  by  Elizabeth,  not  unwilling,  perhaps, 
to  believe,  without  inquiry,  her  mother's  family  to  have 
been  hobly  defcended. 

Schmidt,  in  his  Materialien,  &c*  has  coUefted  in  one 
point  of  view  great  part  of  the  intelligence  which  relates  to 
Catharine  1. 5  and  to  him  I  am  greatly  obliged  for  abridging 
the  trouble  neceffary  in  fuch  a  complicated  inquiry. 

*  Baffevitz  in  Bufching^  IK.  p.  375-  Some  fay  (he 
\yas  born  <b  early  4s  1683.     Bufching,  IX.  p.  481. 

minifter 


C.  /•  CATHARINE      I.  405 

minifter   of  Marienburgh,  happening,   in  a 
journey  through  thofe  parts,  to  fee  the  found- 
ling, took  her  under  his  proteftion ;  brought 
her  up  in  his  family ;   and  employed  her  in 
attending  his  children.     In  1 70 1 ,  and  about 
the  fourteenth  year  of  her  age*,  fhe  efpoufed 
a  dragoon  of  the  Swedifh  garrifon  of  Marien- 
burgh -f.     Many  different  accounts  are  given 
of  this  tranfadtion:    one  author  J  of  great 
credit  affirms  that  the  bride  and  bridegroonx 
remained  together  eight  days  after  their  mar- 
riage ;  another,  §,  of  no  lefs  authority,  aflerts, 
on  the  contrary,  that,  the  morning  of  the 
nuptials  her  hufband  being  fent  with  a  de- 
tachment for  Riga,   the  marriage  was  never 
confummated.     Thus  much  is  certain,  that 
the  dragoon  was  abfent  when  Marienburgh 
Surrendered  to  the  Ruffians;  and  Catharine, 

*  Weber  feys  in  her  iSthyear^  but  if,  according  to  her 
own  account,  ihe  was  born  in  1689,  flie  was  only  thirteen* 

t  Wurmb  affured  Weber,  that  during  her  refidence 
at  Marienburgh  fhe  was  a  pattern  of  virtue  and  good  be-» 
haviour ;  which  contradi£h  the  report,  that  /he  had  been  9 
fommon  woman  in  Livonia, 

X  Weber. 

ff  Bruce,  p.  74: 

Pd3  who 


406         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        1^.4^ 

who  was  referved  for  a  higher  fortune,  never 
faw  him  more  *, 

General  Bauer  -f ,  upon  the  taking  of  Ma^ 
irienburgh,  faw  Catharine  anaong  the  prifon- 

crs; 

♦  What  became  of  her  huAand  is  unknown. 
'  Weber  fays  that  Catharine,  for  fome  time  after  flic 
lived  witii  prince  Mentchikof,  ufcd  to  inquire  about  her 
bufbaud,  and  that  {he  feot  him  occafionally,  though  pri^ 
vately,  fmall  prefents  j  and  that,  in  1705,  he  was  killed  in 
a  fkirmifh. 

Gordon  fays,  that  on  the  day  of  his  marriage  he  was 
killed  in  an  encounter ;  for  from  that  time  he  was  never 
h^ard  of.     Vol.  IL  p.  255. 

Motraye,  who  made  many  inquiries  about  him,  con- 
cludes by  faying,  he  could  be  afllired  of  nothing  from  the 
common  report  of  the  country  concerning  die  fate  of  this 
n^w-ma^ried  pian,  it  beij^g  fo  varipufly  related. 

f  Weber  relates,  that  marlhal  Sheremetof  was  the  ge- 
neral who  firft  brought  Catharine  into  Ruija.  I  fbouki 
certainly  have  fubmitted  to  his  authority,  if  Bruce  had  not 
aflerted  that  generaj  B^uer  was  the  perfon. 

Bruce  begins  his  narrative  by  faying,  "  As  general 
•*  Bauer  was  the  perfon  by  whole  means  the  emprefs 
^'Catharine  arrived  afterwards  t6  fo  great  an  height:'* 
and  Bruce's  authority  muft  be  preferred  in  this  inftancc^ 
b:ec3ufe  he  probably  obtained  his  information  from  his  uncle 
general  Bruce,  who  was  intimately  acquainted  widi  general 
Bauer,  and  could  not  be  miftaken  in  this  faft. 

Perhaps  this  contradiftion  may  be'  reconciled  by  confi- 
dering,  that  although  marflial  Sheremet«|^coQimaflded  the 
Ruffian  army  in  Livonia,  y^  as  general  Bauer  was  the 

next 


C.  7*  CATHARINE      I*  407 

crs ;  and,  being  fmitten  with  her  yocith  and 
beauty,  took  her  to  his  houfe,  where  flie  fu- 
perin tended  his  domeftic  affairs,  and  was  fup- 
pofed  to  be  his  miftrcfs.  Soon  afterwards  fh^ 
was  removed  into  the  family  of  pf ince  Ment- 
chikof,  who  was  no  lefs  ftruck  with  the  at- 
tradions  of  the  fair  captive :  with  him  fhe 
lived  until  1704,  when,  in  the  feventeenth 
jrear  of  her  age,  fhe  became  the  miftrefs  *  of 
Peter  the  Great,  and  won  Co  much  upon  his  af- 

next  in  comniand,  he  might  either  have  headed  the  party 
which  entered  Marienburgh,  or  have  taken  the  fair  prifoner 
under  his  proteflion.  Perfons  have  doubted  whether  fli« 
were  really  the  miftrefs  of  general  Bauer :  but  when  Bruce 
fays  general  Bauer  ''  gave  immediate  orders  for  her  fafety 
**  and  reception  into  his  houfe,  of  which  he  gave  her  the 
•*  whole  charge,  with  authority  T>ver  all  his  fervants,  by 
*^  whom  ihe  was  very  much  beloved  from  her  manner 
**  of  ufing  them  ;  the  general  afterwards  often  faid,  his 
^  houfe  was  never  fo  well  managed  as  when  fhe  was  with 
**  him,"  p.  75^-^we  can  have  no  'doubt  of  the  fa<9:,  as 
otherwife  a  general  would  hardly  place  a  girl  under  fixteerf 
at  die  head  of  his  houfehold. 

,  ♦  ^Veber  writes,  that  the  emperor  firfl  faw  her  as  (he 
was  carrying  fome  difhes  through  the  hall :  the  Auftriait  ' 
minifler  fays  fhe  was  laundrefs  to^  prince  Mentchikofj  that 
at  the  clofe  of  an  entertainment  at  the  prince's,  when  th9 
emperor  and  company  were  intoxicated^  fhe  was  recom-* 
mended  to  Peter^  &c.    Bufching,  XL  p*  482. 

D  d  4  fedlions. 


408         TRAVEL  SINTO    RUSSIA.        B.  4^ 

fcftions^  that  he  efpoufed  *  her  on  the  29th 
of  May,  171 1.  The  ceremony  was  fecretly 
performed  at  Jawerof  in  Poland,  in  the  pre- 
fence  of  general  Bruce ;  and  on  the  20th  of 
February,  1712,  it  was  publicly  folemnized 
with  great  pomp  at  Peterfburgh. 

Catharine,  by  the  moil  unwearied  afliduity 
and  unremittied  attention,  by  the  foftnefs  and 
complacency  of  her  difpofition,  but  above 
all  by  an  extraordinary  livelinefs  and  gaiety 
of  temper,  acquired  a  wonderful  afcendancy 
over  the  mind  of  Peter.  The  latter  was  fub- 
jedt  to  occafional  horrors,  which  at  times  ren- 
dered him  gloomy  and  fufpicious  ;  and  raifed 

*  jGordon  fays  that  fhe  had  feveral  children  by  the  czar 
before  he  efpoufed  her,  particularly  the  princefs  Anne. 
The  c^ar,  he  adds,  was  married  to  her  in  1710.  Life  of 
Peter,  Vol.  II.  p.  258. 

Weber  only  relates,  that  the  marriage,  which  was  be- 
fore kept  fecret,  was  made  public  in  1 7 1 1 .  Voltaire  places 
the  feCret  marriage  in  1707. 

The  following  paflage,  however,  in  Bruce's  Memoirs, 
is  abfolutely  decifive : 

**  On  the  17th  (May,  1711)  wc  arrived  at  Warfaw,  and 
**  at  Jawerof  on  the  29th,  where  we  found  the  czar  and 
**  and  czarina,  and  they  were  privately  married^  at  which 
**  ceremony  the  general  was  prefent ;  and  upon  this  occ^fion 
*^  he  was  made  mafter-general  of  the  ordnance,  in  the  room 
**  of  the  prince  pf  Melita,  who  died  a  prifoner  in  Sweden." 

p.  36. 

his 


■ 


C,  7*  CATHARINE      I,  409 

his  paflions  to  fuch  an  height,  as  to  produce 
^  temporary  madnefs.  In  thefe  dreadful  mo- 
inents  Catharine  was  the  only  perfon  who 
could  venture  to  approach  him :  fuch  was  the 
kind  of  fafcination  *  flie  had  acquired  over 
his  fenfes,  that  her  prefence  had  an  inftanta-. 
neous  effpft  ^  and  the  firft  found  of  her  voice 
Gompofed  his  mind  and  calmed  his  agonies. 
From  thefe  circumftances  ihe  feemed  neceffary, 
ijot  only  to  his  comfort,  but  even  to  his  very  ex- 
iftence ;  fhe  became  his  infeparable  companion 
on  his  journeys  into  foreign  countries,  and 
even  in  all  his  military  expeditions. 

The  peace  of  Pruth,  by  which  the  Ruffian 
army  was  refcued  from  certain  deftrudtion, 
has  been  wholly  attributed  .to  Catharine, 
though  fhe  was  little  more  than  an  inftni- 
ment  in  procuring  the  confent  of  Peter. 
The  latter,  in  his  campaign  of  1 7 1 1  againft 
the  Turks>  having  imprudently  led  his  troops 
into  a  difadvantageous  fituation,  formed  the 
defperate  refolution  of  cutting  his  way  through 
the  Turkifh  army  in  the  night.  With  this 
refolution  he  retired  to  his  tent  in  an  agony  of 
defpair  ^  and  gave  pofitive  orders  that  no  one 

f  "  Elle  avait  un  afcendant  fur  fes  fens,  qui  tenait 
ff  prefque  du  prodige,"  Baflevitz  in  Bufch.  IX,  ^94* 
Sec  alfo  note,  Vol.  II.  p.  183  of  this  work, 

ihould 


410  TRAVELg    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  4, 

fhould  be  admitted^  under  pain  of  death.  In 
this  important  jundture,  the  principal  oflScers, 
and  the  vice-chancellor  Shaffirof  *,  aifembled 
in  the  prefcnce  of  Catharine^  and  drew  up 
certain  preliminaries  in  order  to  obtain  a  truce 
from  rfie  grand  vizier.  In  confequence  of 
this  determination  plenipotentiaries  wdre  im- 
nicdiately  difpatched,  without  the  knowledge 
cf  Peter,  to  the  grand  vizier;  and  a  peace 
obtained  upon  more  reafonable  conditions  than 
could  have  been  expcfted.  With  thefe  con- 
ditions Catharine,  notwithflanding  the  orders 
iflued  by  Peter,  entered  his  tent,  and  pre- 
vailed upon  him  to  lign  them.  Although 
the  honour  of  this  peace,  lays  Gordon,  was 
wholly  attributed  to  Catharine;   yet,  as  he 

♦  Motrayc  attributes  the  principal  fttccefr  of  the  nego- 
ciatioa  with  the  grand  vizier  to  the  vice-chancellor  Shafii- 
rof :  "  It  was  folely  to  his  ability,  and  not  to  any  pretended 
**  prefents  of  the  czarina,  that  the  czar  owed  his  deliverance 
<*  a^  Ptudl.  I  was  well  informed  by  the  Pacha,  with 
*^  whom  I  was  then,  and  by  other  Turks,  even  enemies  to 
*'  tbe  viaier,  of  what  paffed  there,  and  of  the  prefents  which 
**  were  there  made.  All  that  the  czarina  did  was  to  carry 
*•  to  the  czar,  when  he  was  retired  to  his  tent,  and  would" 
^'  ^ee  liane  bat  her,  tbe  counfels  and  methods  which  that 
**  great  minifter  fuggefted,  in  order  to  a  treaty,  and  to  in- 
^*  4uce  him  to  agree  tothem,  and  to  give  him  a  full  power 
*'  of  acSing."  Motsaye's  Travels,  Vol.  IIL  p*^  151,  note. 
See  alfo  p.  I03# 

5  j«% 


C.J.  CATHARINE       !•  4II 

juftly  remarks,  the  generals,  together  with 
the  vice-chancellor  Shaffirof,  were  the  maia 
fprings  that  directed  this  machine.  Catha- 
rine, however,  by  her  condudt  on  this  oc-^ 
cafion,  acquired  great  popularity;  and  the 
emperor  particularly  fpecifies  her  behaviour 
at  Pruth,  as  one  of  the  reafons  w^hich  induced 
him  to  crown  her  publicly  at  Mofcow  with 
his  own  hand.  This  ceremony  *  was  per* 
formed  in  1 7  24 ;  and,  although  defigncd  by 
Peter  only  as  a  proof  of  his  affection,  was  the 
principal  caufe  of  her  fubfequent  elevation^ 

Some  authors  have  affirmed  that  Peter 
placed  the  crown  upon  her  head  as  a  prelude 
to  his  future  intention  in  her  favour,  and 
even  abfolutely  appointed  her  his  fucceflbr: 
but  their  aflertions  are  without  the  leaft  foun- 
dation I  for  no  traces  were  ever  difcovered 
that  he  had  made  fuch  a  difpofition,  either  by 
will  or  otherwife.  Nothing  indeed  affords  a 
ftronger  proof  of  the  contrary,  than  the  very 
mamfefto  of  Catharine's  acceffion,  in  which 
fhe  refts  her  right  folely  upon  her  coronation 
at  Mofcow,  and  upon  the  refolutions  of  the 

♦  The  reader  will  find  a  very  circumftantial  account  of 
the  coroiution^  with  all  d^e  ceremonies  and  entertainments^ 
in  Bruce,  wha  was  hin^elf  ^eient^  Bruce's  Memoirs^ 
p.  351  to  363, 

fenate. 


♦. 


4t&         TJtAVELS    INTO    RtJSSIA.        8,4, 

■fenatc,  the  clergy,  and  the  bcxly  of  the  gene- 
rals*. From  thefe  confiderations,  let  us  in- 
quire by  what  extraordinary  means  a  woman 

♦  •*  B«  it  known  to  all  ani  every  one  by  thefe  prefents, 
•*  duU  it  hath  pleafed  Almighty  God  to  take,  after  a  violent 
^  ficknefe  of  twelve  days,  from  this  world,  the  moft  ferene 
•*  and  moft  powerful  prince  Peter  the  Great,  emperor,  and 
^  abfolute  fovereign  of  all  the  Ruflias,  father  of  his  coun- 
«*  try,  and  oar  moft  gracious  lofd,  in  order  to  raife  him  to 
^  eternal  glory. 

•'  The  order  ef  Juccejfion  to  the  throne  ofRuJfia  being  regu- 
•*  lated  by  his  imperial  maje/iy  of  mo/i  glorious  metnory^  in  his 
^  decrety  dated  the  yh  of  February^  ^7^^  which  was  pub» 
•*  lified  to  thi  whole  nation^  and  confirmed  by  the  aaths  of  all 
•*  the  fiat es  affembled  together  \  namely^  that  he  or  Jhe^  whom 
•*  it  Jhould  pleafe  his  imp^fial  rnajejiy  to  appoint^  Jhould  fucceed 
•^  to  tie  throne :  and  accordingly  he  was  pleafed  thr.t,  in  the 
^  year  1724,  his  dear  confort^  our  mofl  gracious  emprefsy  Ca^ 
^  tharine  AUxiefnay  Jhould  receivey  as  Jhe  did  effectually  re- 
^  eeii}ey  the  crown  and  the  facred  influgurationy  by  reafon  of 
^  the  numberlefs  great  and  important  fervices  which  Jhe  perr 
y'  farmed  for  the  advantage  of  the  Ruffian  empire  \  as  was 
^ Jicffrciently  and  amply  declared  in  the  manifejloy  dated  the 
f  \^th  ef  NoFuemheVy  1723. 

"  For  which  reafons  the  fenate  or  council  of  regency, 
**  and  the  (acred  fynod,  in  conjun(5iion  with  the  body  cf 
^  generals,  have  unanimoufly  ordained,  and  do  notify  by 
•*  the  prefent  printed  cdift,  that  all,  as  well  ecclefiaftical  as 
^  military  and  civil,  of  all  ranks  and  conditions,  be  fubjed 
^  and  faithful  to  the  moft  ferene  and  moft  powerful  em- 
^  prefs  Catharine  Alexiefna,  abfolute  fovereign  of  all  the 
^  Ruffias."  See  Dumont,  Corps  Diplom.  Vol.  VIII, 
f,  II.  p.  104* 

3  of 


C.  7*         ,     C  A  T  H  A  R  I  N  fi       I.  413 

of  her  low  birth  could  fucceed  in  fetting  afidc 
the  grandfon  of  Peter  the  Great,  who  was 
the  lineal  heir  of  the  Ruffian  empire ;   and 
afcend  the  throne,  to  which  fhe  could  have  no 
pretenfions  but  by  the  exprefs  appointment  of 
Peter.    Her  influence  continued  undiminifhed , 
until  a  fhort  time  before  the  death  of  that 
emperor ;  when  fome  circumftances  happened 
which   occafioned  fuch  a   coolnefs   between 
them,   as  would   probably  have  ended  in  a 
tot^l  rupture,  if  his  death  had  not  fortunately 
intervened.     The  original  caufe  of  this  mif- 
underflanding  arofe  from  the  difcovery'of  a 
fecret  connection  between  Catharine  and  her 
firft  chamberlain,   whofe  name  was   Mons* 
The  emperor,   who  was   fufpicious  of  thi^ 
connedion,    quitted  Peterfburgh  under   pre- 
tence of  removing  to  a  villa  for  a  few  days ; 
but  privately  returned  to  his  winter  palace  in 
the  capital.    From  thence  he  occafionally  fent 
one  of  his  confidential  pages  with  a  compli- 
mentary meflfage  to  the  emprefs,.  as  if  he  had 
been  in  the  country,  and  with  fecret  orders  to 
obferve  her  motions.     From  the  page's  in- 
formation, the  emperor,  on  the  third  night, 
furprifed  Catharine  in  an  arbour  of  the  garden 
with  her  favourite  Mons ;   while  his  filler, 
Madame  Balke,  who  was   firft  lady  of  the 

bed- 


4T4         TRAVELS    tHTO   RUSSIA.       B.4* 

bcd-chambtr  to  the  ctnprefs,  was,  in  com- 
pany with  a  page,  upon  the  watch  without 
the  arbour. 

Peter  *,  whofe  violent  temper  was  inflamed 
by  this  difcovery,  ftruck  Catharine  with  his 
cane,  as  well  as  the  page  who  endeavoured 
to  prevent  him  from  entering  th^  arbour; 
and  then  retired  without  uttering  a  fingle 
word  either  to  Mons  or  his  fifler.  A  few 
days  after  this  tranfaftion  thefe  perfbns  were 
taken  into  cuftody ;  and  Mons  was  carried  to 
the  winter  palace,  where  no  one  had  admilfion 
to  him  but  Peter,  who  himfelf  brought  him 
his  provifions.  A  report  was  at  the  fame 
time  circulated,  that  they  were  imprifbned 
for  having  received  bribes,  and  making  their 
influence  over  the  emprefs  fubfervient  to  their 
own  mercenary  views.    Mons  being  examined. 

♦  Bai^vitz  and  Voltaire  relate  this  tranfa£lion  in  a  dif- 
ferent manner,  but  neither  of  them  wotikl  reprefent  any 
ctrcumftance  tending  in  the  leaft  to  criminate  Catharine^ 
The  Auftrian  envoy,  from  whom  the  above  relation  is 
chiefly  extraflcd,  fays  that  he  received  information  of  the 
vrhole  afiair  from  the  page  fent  by  Peter,  whofe  ijame  was 
preventch.     Bufch.  Hift,  Mag,  XI,  p.  49. 

Bailevitz  himfelf  mentions  the  anecdote  of  his  driving 
her  under  the  gallows ;  which  feems  to  imjjy,  that  Peter 
certainly  thought  Catli^rine  guilty  of  an  intrigue  with 
Mons. 

by 


q.J.  CATHARINE        I,  415 

by  Peter,  in  the  prefence  of  major-general 
Uichakof,  and  threatened  with  the  torture, 
confefled  tl^  corruption  which  was  laid  to 
his  charge*  He  was  beheaded ;  his  lifter 
received  five  ftrokes  of  the  knoot,  and  was 
baniflied  into  Siberia ;  two  of  her  fons,  who 
were  chamberlains,  were  alfo  degraded,  and 
fent  as  common  foldiers  among  the  Ruffian 
troops  in  Perfia.  On  the  day  fubfequent 
to  the  execution  of  the  fentence,  Peter  con- 
veyed Catharine  in  an  open  carriage  under 
the  gallows,  to  which  was  nailed  the  head 
of  Mons :  the  emprefs,  without  changing 
colour    at    this    dreadful    fight,    exclaimed. 

What  a  pity  it  is,  that  there  is  fo  much 

corruption  among  courtiers  *  !'* 

This  event  happened  in  the  latter  end  of 
the  year  1724:  and  as  it  was  foon  followed 
by  Peter's  death  ;  and  as  Catharine,  upon 
her  acceffion,  recalled  Madame  Balke ;  it  ha* 
been  fufpeded  that  ihe  ihortened  the  days  of 
her  hufband  by  poifon.  But  notwithftanding 
the  very  critical  fituation  of  Catharine  at  the 
time  of  his  deceafe,  and  her  fubfequent  eleva- 
*  tion,  this  charge  is  totally  deftitute  of  the 
leaft  Ihado w  of  proof ;  for  the  nature  of  the 

♦  BalTcvitz  ia  Bufch.Hift.  Mag,  IX,  p.  372. 

diforder 


€4 


4i6        TRAVfiLS  li^to  RtrSslA.      Bi^i 

diforder  with  which  Peter  had  been  long 
afflidted,  and  the  peculiar  fymptoms  *  of  hisr 
kft  illnefs,  fufficiently  accbunt  for  his  deathjf 
without  the  lieceflity  of  fecufring  to  poifon. 

Peter  having,  in  the  year  1724^  decreed  that 
the  reigning  fovereign  fheuld  have  the  power 
of  appointing  his  fucceflbr,  ought,  in  com- 

♦  *^  Peter,'*  6ys  the  Auftriah  enVoy,  **  had  formerly 
«  contraftcd  from  one  of  his  miftrefles  a  complaint,  which 
*^  on  account  of  his  excefles  was  never  completely  eradi- 
**  cated ;  and  upon  his  drinking,  at  the  ridiculous  eledion 
*^  of  the  mock  patriarch  t>  an  enormous  quantity  of  wine, 
"beer,  mead,  and  brandy,  it increafcd  to  fuch  a  degree  as 
**  to  become  incurable ;  but  as  there  appeared  no  external 
•'  fymptoms  of  the  complaint,  the  phyficians  conceived  the 
^  diforder  to  be  the  ftone,  and  treated  it  accordingly.  By 
**  thefe  means  the  virus  at  length  gradually  gained  fuch  an 
^  height  as  to  form  an  abfcefs  in  the  bladder,  which,  in  his 
^  laft  illnefs,  brought  on  a  ftrangury,  that  foon  ended  in  his 
**  death.  tJpon  his  death-bed  he  grievoufly  repented  of 
"  his  lins,  confefled  that  he  had  Ihed  much  innocent  bloody 
"  exprefled  the  greateft  concern  for  his  behaviour  to  his 
**  unfortunate  fon  5  adding,  however^  that  he  hoped  God 
*'  would  forgive  his  fins,  in  confideration  of  the  good  he 
•*  had  conferred  on  his  country."  Bufch.  Hift,  Mag.  XI., 
p.  496. 

Gordon  fays,  **  he  caught  cold,  which,  vrith  a  violent 
^  ftrangury  and  retention  of  urine,  occafioned  by  an  im- 
"  pofthume  in  his  bladder,  put  an  end  to  his  life  on  the 
*'  28th  of  January,  1725.'* 

f  See  an  account  of  this  in  Bruce^s  Memoirs. 

mon 


Q^J.  CATHARINE     I.  417 

mon  prudence,  to  have  provided  one  in  cafe  of 
his  fudden  death  ;  but  he  was  feized  w^ith  his 
laft  illnefs  before  he  had  performed  that  ne- 
cellary  duty.  The  diforder  v^ith  wrhich  he 
was  attacked  ^as  a  ftrangury,  which  at  firft 
did  not  carry  with  it  any  alarming  fymptoms 
of  immediate  danger ;  but  fuddenly  increafing 
to  a  violent  degree,  occafioned  fuch  excru- 
ciating tortures,  as,  in  a  fhort  time,  totally 
deprived  him  of  his  fenfes.  In  a  lucid  in- 
terval he  demanded  pen  and  paper,  and  en- 
deavoured to  write ;  but  he  could  only  trace 
charadlers  that  were  not  legible.  He  then 
called  for  his  daughter  Anne ;  but  before  fhe 
arrived  his  fpeech  and  his  underftanding  en- 
tirely foribok  him;  and  in  this  ftate  he  re- 
mained for  fix  and  thirty  hours  before  he  ex- 
pired *• 

It  is  evident  from  this  account,  drawn  from 
the  moft  unqueftionable  authorities,  that  he 
did  not  appoint  his  heir  :  and  though  fome 
perfbns  have  .concluded  that  he  purposed  en- 
tailing the  crown  upon  his  grandfon  Peter  II.; 
yet  it  is  moft  probable  that  he  had  deftined 
his  eldeft  daughter  Anne  to  be  his  fucceflbr  ; 

♦  Baflevitz  in  Bufching  IX.  p.  373.  alfo  Wcbcr  Ver. 
HuiT.  vol.  11.  p.  199. 

Vol.  II.  E  e  but 


^ 


4lS         TRAVE;l,8    INTO   RUSSIA.         B.  4. 

but  was  prevented  by  the  fuddennefs  of  his 
death  from  carrying  that  defign  into  execu- 
tion ♦.  But,  without  dwelling  upon  queftions 

which 


♦  I  have  already  given  my  reafons  for  adopting  this  opi- 
nion.   See  p-  348  in  the  note. 

Monfieur  Le  Clerc,  in  his  Hiftoire,  Phyfique,  Morale, 
Civile,  et  Politique  de  la  Ruffle  Modcrne,  aflerts,  that 
Peter  L  abfolutely  appointed  Peter  II.  his  fucceiibr.  As 
rfie  whole  paflage  relative  to  this  hitherto  unknown  anecdote 
is  extremely  curious,  I  fhall  here  infert  it,  and  accompany 
it  with  a  few  obfervations. 

*'  Lorfque  ce  prince  (Pierre  I.)  vit  arriver  Tinftant  dc 
**  fa  mort,  il  fit  un  dernier  eifort  pour  fe  lever  de  (on  lit, 
•^  et  pour  ecrire  I'ordre  qui  excluoit  du  Trone  Catharii^  L 
•*  et  qui  y  pla^oit  Pierre  II.  fils  de,  Tinfortune  Alexis.  On 
•^  verra  dans  la  fuite  de  cet  ouvrage,  les  raifons  qui  deter- 
*'  minirent  Pierre  I.  a  exclure  Catharine  qui  lui  avoit  etefi 
*'  cherc.  Nous  nous  bornons  ici  a  dire  que  Tordre  etoit 
•^  ecrit  lorfqu'il  tomba  en  foiblefle,  et  qu'il  mourut  quel- 
•*  ques  heures  apres. 

**  Pierre  I.  mourut  entre  ks  bras  du  prince  Menzikof, 
**  des  comtes  dc  Roumentzof  et  Tolftoc,  et  de  deux  majors 
"  de  gardes— a-Pied  nomm^s  Mammonof.  Avant  d'an- 
**  noncer  la  mort  de  Tempereur,  leur  premier  foin  fut  dc 
•'  lire  fes  dcrnieres  volontes,  et  d'opiner  fur  Tufege  qu'ils 
"  en  devoient  faire. 

Lc  prince  Tolftoe  porta  la  parole  aux  autres,  et  dit: 
*'  Les  intentions  de  Pierre  nous  font  connues  j  mais  pre- 
^  nons  garde  a  cc  que  nous  allons  faire.  Pierre  If.  nous 
**  doit  hair,  il  nous  hait ;  ii  nous  le  pla^ons  iur  le  Trone, 
^  nous  ferons  les  premieres  vi£Kmcs  qu'il  immolera  a  la 
**  ve^igeance  dc  fon  pere^ 

«  Tolftoe 


C,  7*  CATHARINE      I.  4I9 

which  are  foreign  to  the  prefent  hiftory,  let 
us  haften  to  the  eledtion  of  Catharine. 

While 

'^  Tolftoe  etoit  naturellement  eloquent  et  perfuafif ;  et 
*'  dans  cette  conjundlure,  Teloquence  etoit  jointe  a  la  ve- 
^*  rite.  On  fut  d'avis  de  deroger  aux  intentions  de  I'empe* 
**  reur  defunt,  et  de  fupprimer  I'ordre  d'exclufion.  AlorS 
"  les  majors  de  gardes  annoncerent  la  mort  de  Pierre  I.  le 
"  regne  de  Catharine,  et  les  gardes  la  proclamerent  •  en 
"  criant  Oura,  felon  I'ufage  du  pays.  Cette  anecdote 
'^  fecrette  eft  exaSe  dans  tous  fes  points."  Hift.  Mod. 
de  Ruflie)  p.  443, 

I  will  frankly  own  that  I  muft  fufpend  my  judgment 
with  refpeft  to  the  truth  of  this  fecret  anecdote,  exaft  in  all 
Its  circumftances,  until  the  ingenious  author  fliall  conde- 
firend  to  cite  his  authority.  For  as  it  pofitively  contradids 
the  relation  of  Baflevitz,  who  had  fo  great  a  fliare  in  raifing 
Catharine  to  the  throne;  of  count  Munic,  who  was  fo 
well  verfed  in  the  political  intrigues  of  the  Ruffian  court ; 
and  of  the  Auftrian  envoy,  who  was  prefent  at  Peterfburgh 
during  the  acceffion  of  Catharine  5  it  would  require  ftronger 
evidence  in  favour  of  its  authenticity  than  the  mere  affir- 
mation of  an  hiftorian,  however  ingenious,  even  if  it  di^ 
fiot  contain  many  circumftances  which  feem  to  be  falfe. 

Can  Peter  be  faid  to  have  excluded  Catharine  from  the 
throne  by  the  appointment  of  Peter  II.  even  fuppofing  that 
appointment  to  have  formally  taken  place  ?  Exclufipn  im- 
plies right ;  and  what  right  had  Catharine  but  from  the  no- 
mination of  Peter  ?  and  it  does  not  appear  that  he  had  ever 
/ormed  the  moft  diftant  views  of  making  that  nomina- 
tion. 

The  fpeech  of  Tolftoe  is  improbable  in  itfelf,  and  con- 
tradicted by  the  moft  pofitive  teftimony.    {tis  ioiprobable ; 

£  e  2  becauie; 


420  TRAVELS    INTO    RtJSfSIAl        B- 4, 

While  Peter  Was  yet  lying  in  the  agonies  of 
death,  feveral  oppofite  parties  were  caballing 

t0 

becaufe  though  we  imagine  that  Tolftoe,  who  was  a  crea- 
ture of  Mentchikof,  might  have  hinted  to  that  prince  a 
fuggeftion  to  deftroy  any  written  appdntment  of  the  fuc- 
ceflbr,  yet  we  cannot  fuppofe  that  he  would  openly  make 
that  propofal  before  count  Romantzof  and  the  two  majors, 
without  having  firft  founded  them^  and  endeavoured  to  gain 
them  over  to  his  purpofe. 

It  is  contradifted  by  the  mod  pofitive  teftimony,  becaufc 
it  appears  from  Baflevitz,  that,  during  the  feveral  hours  in 
which  Peter  lay  in  a  ftate  of  infenfibility,  and  before  he  ex- 
pired, Mentchikof  had  taken  all  the  neceflary  precautions 
for  the  accefSon  of  Catharine. 

With  refpe(£l  to  the  order  of  the  excJuJion  and  the  appoint" 
ment  of  Peter  II.  fuppofed  to  be  written  by  Peter  himfelf 
in  the  midft  of  his  laft  illnefs,  it  is  moft  probable  that  fuch 
an  order  was  never  written :  for  the  dernier  effort  pour  fe 
lever  fon  lity  &c.  is  the  fame  circumftance  alluded  to  by 
Baflevitz,  from  whom  it  appears  that  Peter  only  traced  il- 
legible charafters :  and  this  ftate  of  tfie  cafe  is  confirmed 
by  the  Hanoverian  envoy,  Weber,  who  had  no  conne<9ion 
either  with  Mentchikof  or  BaflTevitz  :  Schrieb  auch  etliche 
worte,  aber  fo  unleferiich,  &c.  he  wrote  a  few  words ^  hut 
fo  illegibly^  that  no  one  could  make  out  their  meaning.  Veran. 
Ruin  vol.  II.  p,  199. 

The  Auftrian  envoy  alfo  fays,  that,  "  da  er  dann  etwas 
**  aufechreiben  woUen,  aber  vor  Schwachheit  iricht  gekonnt : 
"  he  was  deftrous  of  writing  fomething^  hut  could  not  through 
"  weaknefsr     Buf.  Hift.  Mag.  XI.  p.  496. 

Baflevitz  aflTerts,  that  Peter  expired  in  the  arms  of 
Catharine. 

"  L'Empereur 


t.  y^  CATHARINE      I.  421 

to  difpofe  of  the  crown.  At  a  confiderable 
meeting  of  many  among  the  principal  nobi- 
lity, it  was  fecretly  determined  to  arreft  Ca- 
tharine, at  the  moment  of  hi^  diflblution,  and 
to  place  Peter  Alexievitch  upon  the  throne*. 
Baffevitz,  apprized  of  this  refolution,  repaired 
in  perfon  to  the  emprefs,  although  it  was 
already  night.  **  My  grief  and  confternation," 
replied  Catharine,  *^  render  me  incapable  of 
**  acting  for  myfelf :  do  you  and  prince  Ment- 
**  chikof  confult'  together,  and  I  will  embrace 
**  the  meafures  which  you  fhall  approve  in* 
**  my  name."  Baflevitz,  finding  Mentchikof 
afleep,  awakened  and  informed  him  of  the 
prefling  danger  which  threatened  the  emprefs 
and  her  party.     As   no   time  remained  for 

*'  L'Empereur  expira  entre  les  bras  de  fon  epoufe.'* 
Buf.  Hift.  IX.  p.  375. 

This  is  alfo  confirmed  by  Weber,  "  Endlich  in  der 
•'  Nacht,"  &c.  "  At  laft  this  great  monarch  expired 
*'  withoi^  making  any  will,  while  the  emprefs  threw  her- 
"  felf  upon  her  knees,  and  cried  out,  "  God  open  thy 
^^paradife,  and  take  this  great  foul  unto  thyfelf.'*  Ver. 
Ruff.  vol.  II.  p.  199. 

Thefe  are  the  reafons  which  induce  me  to  doubt  whe- 
ther this  fecret  anecdote  of  Monf.  le  Clerc  is  as  exa<^  in 
all  its  circumftances  as  he  affirms  it  to  be. 

♦  Tant  qu'on  lui  favoit  un  foufle  de  vie,  perfonne 
n'ofoit  Tentreprendre.  Telle  etpit  la  force  du  refpe£l 
#t  de  la  terreur,  qu'imprima  ce  heros.  Baffevitz,  p.  374. 

£  e  3  much 


422  TRAVELS    INTORUSStA.        8.4, 

much  deliberation,  the  prince  inftantly  feiz6d 
the  treafure ;  fecured  the  fortrefs ;  gained  thd 
officers  of  the  guards  by  bribes  and  promifes^ 
alfo  a  few  of  the  nobility,  and  the  principal 
clergy.  Thefe  partizans  being  convened  in 
the  palace,  Catharine  made  her  appearance : 
fhe  claimed  the  throne  in  right  of  her  corona- 
tion at  Mofcow^ ;  expofed  the  ill  effeds  of  a 
minority ;  and  promifed,  that,  **  fo  far  from 
**  depriving  the  great-duke  of  the  crown,  fhe 
**  would  receive  it  only  as  a  facred  depofit, 
**  to  be  reftored  to  him  when  ihe  Ihould  be 
**  united,  in  another  world,  to  an  adored 
**  hufband,  whom  fhe  was  now  upon  the 
**  point  of  lofing/* 

The  pathetic  manner  with  which  fhe  ut- 
tered this  addrefs,  and  the  tears  which  ac- 
companied it,  added  to  the  previous  diflri- 
bution  of  large  fums  of  money  and  jewels, 
produced  the  defired  efFedt :  at  the  clofe  of 
this  meeting,  the  remainder  of  the  night  was 
employed  in  making  the  necelTary  prepara- 
tions to  enfure  her  acceffion  in  cafe  of  the 
emperor's  death. 

Peter  at  length  expired  in  the  morning  of 

the  28th  of  January,  O.  S.   Feb.  8,  N.  S. 

This  event  being  made  known,  the  fenate, 

tlie  generals,  the  principal  nobility  and  clergy, 

,  .  haflened 


' 


C.  y.  CATHARINE     I.  423 

haftened  t6  the  palace  to  proclaim  the  new 
ibvereign.  The  adherents  of  the  great-duke 
feemed  fecure  of  fuccefs ;  and  the  friends  of 
Catharine  were  avoided  as  peribns  doomed  to 
deftru(^ion.  At  this  jundure  Ballevitz  whif- 
pcred  one  of  the  oppofite  party,  "  The  em- 
**  prefs  is  miftrefs  of  the  treafure  and  the 
**  fortrcfs  ;  fhe  has  gained  over  the  guards 
**  and  the  fynod,  and  many  of  the  chief 
^*  nobility ;  even  here  fhe  has  more  followers 
**  than  you  imagine:  advife  therefore  your 
**  friends  to  make  no  oppofition  as  they  value 
*^  their  heads/'  This  information  being  ra-^ 
pidly  circulated,  Baflevitz  gave  the  appointed 
lignal;  and  the  two  regiments  of  guards, 
who  had  been  gained  by  a  largels  *  to  declare 
for  Catharine,  and  had  already  furrounded 
the  palace,  beat  to  arms.  **  Who  has 
*^  dared,'*  exclaimed  prince  Repnin,  the 
commander  in  chief,  **  to  order  out  the 
**  troops  without  my  knowledge !" —  **  I," 
returned  general  Butturlin,  **  vrithout  pre- 
"  tending  to  difpute  your  authority,  in  obe- 
**  dicnce  to  the  commands  of  my  moft  gra- 
•*  ciouS  miftrefs."     This  fhort  reply  was  fol- 

♦  The  Auftrian  envoy  &ysj  that  the  guank  received 
each  £.  6, 

E  e  4  lowed 


424         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        8.4* 

lowed  by  a  dead  filence.  In  this  moment 
of  fufpenfe  and  anxiety,  Mentchikof  entered 
preceding  Catharine,  fupported  by  the  duke 
of  Holftein.  She  attempted  to  fpeak,  but 
was  prevented  by  lighs  *  and  tears  from 
giving  utterance  to  her  words :  at  length, 
recovering  herfelf,  **  I  come,"  fhe  faid, 
**  notwithftanding  the  grief  which  now  over- 
**  whelms  me,  to  aflure  you,  that,  fubmiffivc 
**  to  the  will  of  my  departed  hufband,  whofe 
**  memory  will  be  ever  dear  to  me,  I  am 
**  ready  to  devote  my  days  to  the  painful 
**  occupations  of  government,   until   Provi- 

♦  **  The  fame  pcrfon  aflerts,  that  Catharine,  aldiough 
^'  fhe  fecredy  rejoiced  at  Peter's  death,  played  the  farce 

admirably  ^  fhe  ceafed  not  her  lamentations  and  groans ; 

fhe  repeatedly  killed  the  body ;  fcreamed  and  fwooned 

without  ceafing ;  fo  that  the  by-flanders,  who  were*  not 
*^  acquainted  with  the  real  flate  of  the  circumflance,  were 
**  moved  with  compaflion,  while  the  others  could  hardly  re- 
**  frain  from  laughing."    Buf.  Hift.  Mag.  XI.  p.  497. 

BafTevitz  alfo  relates  the  grief  of  the  emprefs,  which  he, 
on  the  contrary,  like  a. true  courtier,  affirms  to  have  been 
real.  "  Infenfible  a  tout  autre  fentiment,  qu*a  celui  de 
*'  raifliilion,  Timperatrice  n'avait  pas  quitte  fon  chevet  de 
**  trois  nuits."    And  again, 

"  Catharine,  au  lieu  de  hater  fes  pas  vers  eux  et  le 
*'  fceptre,  embrafToit  vainement  fon  Epoux  agonifamt,  qui 
<Vne  la  connoifToit  plus,  et  ne  pouvoit  s'en  detacher.'* 
Ibid.  IX.  p.  373.  et  feq. 

**  dence 


cc 

iC 

CI 


I 


€€ 
€€ 
€€ 


C.  7.  CATHARINE     I.  425 

**  dence  fhall  fummon  me  to  follow  him/* 
Then,  after  a  fhort  paufe,  fhe  artfully  added, 
**  If  the  great-duke  will  profit  by  my  in- 
ftrudions ;  perhaps  I  fhall  have  the  con- 
folation,  during  my  wretched  widowhood, 
of  forming  for  you  an  emperor  worthy  of 
**  the  blood  and  the  name  of  him  whom  you 
**  have  now  irretrievably  loft." — .**  As  this 
**  crifis,"  replied  Mentchikof,  "  is  a  moment 
*'  of  fuch  importance  to  the  good  of  the 
**  empire,  and  requires  the  moft  mature  de- 
**  liberation,  your  majefty  will  permit  us  to 
**  confer  without  reftraint ;  that  this  whole 
*'  affair  may  be  tranfafted  without  reproach, 
**  not  only  in  the  opinion  of  the  prefent  age, 
"  but  alfo  of  pofterity/'— ^^  Afting  as  I  do," 
anfwered  Catharine,  **  more  for  the  public 
**  good  than  for  my  own  advantage,  I  am  not 
**  afraid  to  fubmit  all  my  concerns  to  the 
**  judgment  of  fuch  an  enlightened  aflembly  ; 
**  you  have  not  only  my  permiffion  to  confer 
*'  with  freedom,  but  I  lay  my  commands 
**  upon  you  all,  to  deliberate  maturely  on  this 
*'  important  fubjedt ;  and  promife  to  adopt 
*'  whatever  may  be  the  refult  of  your  de- 
*'  cifions."  At  the  conclufion  of  thefe  words 
the  aflembly  retired  into  another  apartment, 
and  the  dpors  were  locked. 

It 


426  TRAVELS    INTO   RUSSIA.       B.  4^ 

It  was  previoufly  fettled  by  Mentchikof 
and  his  party  that  Catharine  ihould  be 
cmprcfs;  and  the  guards,  who  furrounded 
the  palace  with  drums  beating  and  colours 
flying*,  effeAually  vanquiflied  all  oppofition. 
The  only  circumftance,  therefore,  which  re- 
mained, was  to  give  a  juft  colour  to  her  title, 
by  perfuading  the  alfembly  that  Peter  in- 
tended to  have  named  her  his  fucceflbr.  For 
this  purpofe  Mentchikof  demanded  of  that 
emperor's  fecretary,  whether  his  late  maftef 
•'^*  had  left  any  written  declaration  of  his  inten- 

tions. The  fecretary  replied,  **  That  a  little 
**  before  his  laft  journey  to  Mofcow  he  had 
*^  dellroyed  a  will ;  and  that  he  had  frequently 
**  exprefTed  his  delign  of  making  another,  but 
•*  had  always  been  prevented  by  the  refledion, 
♦*  that  if  he  thought  his  people,  whom  he 
"  had  raifed  from  a  ftate  of  barbarifin  to  a 
*'  high  degree  of  power  and  glory,  could  be 
**  ungrateful,  he  would  not  expofe  his  final 
**  inclinations  to  the  infult  of  a  refufal ;  and 
*'  that  if  they  recoUeded  what  they  owed  to 
**  his  labours,  they  would  regulate  their  ccwn- 
'*  dud  by  his  intentions,  which  he  had  dif- 
*^  clofed  with  more  folemnity  than  could  be 
•^  manifefted  by  any  writing/'  An  alterca- 
tion now  began  in  the  affembly,  and  fome 

of 


C.  7-  CATHARINE      I.  427 

of  the  nobles  having  the  courage  to  oppofc 
the  acceflion  of  Catharine,  Theophanes,  arch- 
bifhop  of  Plefcof,  called  to  their  recolledtion 
the  oath  which  they  had  all  taken  in  1722, 
to  acknowledge  the  fucceffor  appointed  by 
Peter ;  and  added,  that  the  fentiments  of  that 
emperor  delivered  by  the  fecretary  were  in 
effedt  an  appointment  of  Catharine.  The 
oppofite  party,  however,  denied  thefe  fenti- 
ments to  be  fo  clear  as  the  fecretary  chofe  to 
infinuate;  and  infifted,  that  as  their  late  mo- 
narch had  failed  to  nominate  his  heir,  the 
eleftion  of  the  new  fovereign  fhould  revert 
to  the  ftate.  Upon  this  the  archbiftiop 
further  teftified ;  that,  the  evening  before  the 
coronation  of  the  emprefs  at  Mofcow,  Peter 
had  declared  in  the  houfe  of  an  Englifh 
merchant,  that  he  fhould  place  the  crown 
upon  her  head  with  no  other  view  than  to 
leave  her  miftrefs  of  the  empire  after  his  de- 
ceafe.  This  atteftation  being  confirmed  by 
many  perfons  prefent,  Mentchikof  cried  out, 
*^  What  need  have  we  of  any  teflament !  A 
**  refufal  to  conform  to  the  inclination  of  our 
**  great  fovereign,  thus  authenticated,  would 
**  be  both  unjufl  and  criminal.  Long  live 
**  the  emprefs  Catharine  !"  Thefe  words  being 
inflantly  repeated  by  the  greatefl  part  of  thofe 

who 


428  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  4. 

who  were  prefent ;  Mentchikof,  faluting  Ca- 
tharine by  the  title  of  emprefs,  paid  his  firft 
obeifance  by  kifling  her  hand ;  and  his  example 
was  followed  by  the  whole  aflembly.  She 
next  prefented  herfelf  at  the  window  to  the 
guards,  and  to  the  people,  who  fhouted  ac- 
clamations of  "  Long  live  Catharine,"  while 
Mentchikof  fcattered  among  them  handfuls 
of  money*.     Thus,    fays  a  contemporary, 

the 

*  This  account  of  the  clcftion  of  Catharine  is  chiefly 
cxtraflcd  from  Baflevitz,  who  aflifted  prince  Mentchikof 
in  this  revolution,  and  certainly  muft  defer ve  credit  as  far 
as  he  chofe  to  difcover  the  fecret  cabals*  Some  authors 
relate  this  event  fomewhat  differently ;  but  this  difference 
is  eafily  reconciled,  and  the  main  fadls  continue  the  fame. 
Bufching  aflerts,  as  he  was  informed  by  count  Munic, 
that  Peter  was  no  fooner  dead,  than  the  fenate  and  nobles 
affcmbled  in  the  palace  unknown  to  prince  Mentchikof. 
The  latter,  being  informed  of  the  meeting,  repaired  to  the 
palace,  and  was  refufed  admittance ;  upon  which  he  fent 
for  general  Butturlin,  with  a  company  of  guards ;  and, 
burfling  open  the  door  of  the  apartment  in  which  the 
meeting  was  held,  declared  Catharine  emprefs.  Bufching, 
vol.  I.  p.  15;  alfo  Ebauche,  &c.  p.  50. 

The  Auflrian  envoy  fays,  that  general  Butturlin  threatened 
to  maflacre  the  fenate  if  the  members  did  not  acknowledge 
Catharine. 

But  we  have  already  feen,  from  the  authority  of  Bafle- 
vitz,  that  many  of  the  nobles,  &c.  repaired  to  the  palace 
in  oppofition  to  prince  Mentchikof;  that  general  Butturlin 
had  high  words  with  prince  Repnin  and  the  oppofite  party- 

that 


C.  7«  CATHARINE       I.  429 

the  emprefs  was  raifed  to  the  throne  by  the 
guards,  in  the  fame  manner  as  the  Roman 
emperors  by  the  praetorian  cohorts,  without 
cither  the  appointment  of  the  people  or  of  the 
legions  *. 

I  The  reign  of  Catharine  may  be  confidered, 
as  the  reign  of  Mentchikof :  that  emprefs  hav- 
ing neither  inclination  nor  abilities  to  dircGt 
the  helm  of  government ;  and  fhe  placed  the. 
moft  implicit  confidence  in  a  man  who  had 
been  the  original  author  of  her  good  fortune, 
and  the  fole  inftrument  of  her  elevation  to  the 
throne. 

During  her  fhort  reign  her  life  was  very 
irregular :  fhe  was  extremely  averfe  to  bufi- 
nefs ;  would  frequently,  when  the  -  weather 
was  fine,  pafs  whole  nights  in  the  open  air ; 

that  MentchikoPs  prefence  utterly  difconcerted  them; 
and  it  is  probable  that  both  he  and  Butturlin  might  have 
threatened  the  nobles,  which  Baflevitz  might  not  chufe  to 
record,  as  he  was  willing  to  make  the  nomination  of  Ca- 
tharine as  unanimous  as  poflible :  although  he  fays,  "  C'eft 
**  ainfi  que  Catharine  faifit  le  fceptre,  qu'elle  meritoit  a  fl 
"juftetitre." 

In  a  word,  thefe  three  accounts  are  eafily  reconcileable 
to  each  other ;  they  all  prove  one  fa(ft,  that  Mentchikof^ 
cither  by  himfelf  or  his  agents,  by  bribes,  promifes  and 
threats,  forced  the  nobility  to  proclaim  Catharine. 

•  Auftrian  envoy  in  Bufching  XI.  p.  502. 

and 


430  TRAVELS^   INTO    RUSSIA*       B*  4. 

aiid  was  particularly  intemperate  in  t^e  ufe  of 
tokay-wine,  in  which  fhe  often  indulged  her- 
felf  to  excefs  *.  Thefe  irregularities,  joined 
to  a  cancer  and  a  dropfy,  haftened  her  end  ; 
and  fhe  expired  on  the  17  th  of  May,  1727,  a 
little  more  than  two  years  after  her  acceflion 
to  the  throne,  and  about  the  39  th  year  of  her 
age. 

As  the  deaths  of  fovereigns  in  defpotic 
countries  are  feldom  imputed  to  natural  caufes, 
that  of  Catharine  has  alfo  been  attributed  to 
poifon ;  as  if  the  diforders  which  preyed  upon 
her  frame  were  not  fufficient  to  bring  her  to 
tlxc  grave.  Some  aflert,  that  fhe  was  poifoned 
in  a  glafs  of  fpirituous  liquor ;  others  by  a 
pear  given  to  her  by  general  Diever.  Sufpi- 
cions  alfo  fell  upon  prince  Mentchikof ;  who, 
a  fhort  time  before  her  deceafe,  had  a  trifling 
mifunderflanding  with  her ;  and  who  was  ac- 
cufed  of  haftening  her  death,  that  he  might 
reign  with  flill  more  abfolute  power  during 
the  minority  of  Peter  11.  But  thefe  reports 
deferve  not  the  leafl  credit ;  and  were  merely 
dilated  by  the  fpirit  of  party,  or  by  popular 
rumour. 

Catharine  was    in   her   perfbn    under  the 

♦  Buf.  Hift.  Mag.  III.  p.  19a. 

middlf 


C/.  CATHARINEI.  4JI 

middle  fi25e,  and  in  her  youth  delicate  and 
well-formed,  but  inclined  to  corpulency  as 
file  advanced  in  years.  She  had  a  fair  com- 
plexion, dark  eyes,  and  light  hair,  which  (he 
was  always  accuftomed  to  die  with  a  black 
colour  *•  She  could  neither  read  nor  write  -f- ; 
her  daughter  Elizabeth  ufually  figned  her 
name  for  her,  and  particularly  to  her  lafl 
will  and  teftament ;  and  count  Ofterman  ge- 
nerally put  her  fignature  to  the  publit?  decrees 
and  difpatches.  Her  abilities  have  been 
greatly  exaggerated  by  her  panegy rifts.  Gor- 
don, who  had  frequently  feen  her,  feems,  of 
all  writers,  to  have  represented  her  character 
with    the   greateft  juftnefs,   when   he   fays, 

*  Bufching  fays,  "  Ihr  fchwarzes  haar  war  nicht  natuer- 
**  lich,  fondern  gefaerbt,"  &c.    Hift.  Mag.  vol.  III.  p.  190. 

"  Her  black  hair  was  not  natural,  but  coloured.  Ori 
**  her  firft  rife  the  coarfenefs  of  her  hands  proved  that  (he 
**  had  been  ufed  to  hard  labour,  but  they  gradually  grew 
*'  whiter  and  whiter.'*  Thefe  circumftances  v/e  may 
readily  believe,  becaufe  the  lady  from  whom  Bufching  re- 
ceived the  information  could  eafily  know  whether  Catha- 
rine's hair  was  black,  or  her  hands  coarfe,  altliough  (he 
might  be  deceived  in  what  relates  to  her  family. 

t  Baffevitz  fays,  "  EUe  n'apprit  jamais  a  ecrire.  La 
^*  princefle  Elizabeth  figna  tout  pour  elle,  quand  elle  fut 
*^  fur  le  trone,  meme  fon  teftament.'^     P.  295. 

The  Auftrian  minifter  fays,  count  Ofterman  ufed  to 
fign  her  name  to  all  the  difpatches.     Buf.  XI.  p.  481  a 

?  ''  She 


4t 


4€ 


4€ 
€€ 


432         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSStA.         8.4^ 

^*;Shc  was  a  very  pretty  well-lookt  w^oman, 
of  good  fcnfc,  but  not  of  that  fublimity  of 
!  wit,  or  rather  that  quicknefs  of  imagina- 
•*  tion,  which  fome  people  have  believed. 
The  great  reafon  why  the  tzar  was  fo  fond 
of  her,  was  her  exceeding  good ,  temper  ; 
**  fhe  never  was  feen  peevifh  or  out  of  hu- 
mour ;  obliging  and  civil  to  all,  and  never 
forgetful  of  her  former  condition  ^  withal, 
**  mighty  grateful."  Catharine  maintained 
the  pomp  of  majefty  united  with  an  air  of 
cafe  and  grandeur  -,  and  Peter  ufed  frequently 
to  exprefs  his  admiration  at  the  propriety  with 
which  fhe  fupported  her  high  ilation,  without 
forgetting  that  fhe  was  not  born  to  that 
dignity  *. 

The  following  anecdotes  will  prove  that 
ihe  bore  her  elevation  meekly ;  and  was  never, 
as  Gordon  afTerts,  forgetful  of  her  former 
condition.  When  Wurmb,  who  had  been 
tutor  to  Gluck's  children  at  the  time  that 

♦  "  Son  epoufe  etait  avec  lui  etalant,  conformement  a 
•*  la  volontd  du  monarque,  la  pompe  imp^riale,  qui  le  gcnait, 
*^  et  la  foutenant  avec  un  air  furprenant  de  grandeur  et 
•*  d'aifance.  Le  czar  ne  pouvait  fe  lafler,  d'admirer  les 
**  talens  qu'elle  pofledait,  felon  fon  expreffion,  de  fe  creer 
*'  imperatrice,  fans  oublier  qu'elle  ne  Ic  naquit  point.'* 
Baflevitz  in  Buf.  p.  338. 

t  Life  of  Peter,  vol.  III.  p.  258. 

,  Catharine 


C.Ji,  CATHARINE       I.  433 

Catharine  was  a  domeftic  in  that  clergyman's 
family,  prefented  himfelf  before  her  after  her 
marriage  with  Peter  had  been  publicly  folem- 
nized,  Ihe  recolledted  and  addreffed  him  with 
great  complacency,  "  What  thou  good  man, 
*^  art  thou  ftill  alive  !  I  will  provide  for  thee." 
And  fhe  accordingly  fettled  upon  him  a  pen- 
fion.     She  alfo  was  no  lefs  attentive  to  the 
family  of  her  benefactor  Gluck,  who  died  a 
prifoner  at  Mofcow :  fhe  penfioned  his  wi- 
dow ;  made  his  fon  a  page ;  portioned  the 
two  eldeft  daughters ;  and  advanced  the  young- 
eft  to  be  one  of  her  maids  of  honour.     If  we 
may  believe  Weber,   fhe  frequently  inquired 
after  her  firft  hufband,  and,  wheji  fhe  lived 
with  prince  Mentchikof,  ufed  fecretly  to  fend 
him  fmall  fums  of  money,  until,  in  1705,  he 
was   killed  in  a  fkirmifh  with   the  enemy. 
In  a  conference  with  general  Schlippenback, 
who,  in  1702,  commanded  the  Swedifh  army, 
when  fhe  was  taken  captive  by  the  Ruffians, 
fhe  afked   him  "  whether  her  fpoufe  John 
*'  was  not  a  brave  foldier  ?"  Schlippenback 
returning,  "  am  not  I  one  alfo  ?''  her  majefly 
anfwered  in  the  affirmative :   but,  repeating 
the  queflion,  he  replied,  "  yes,  pleafe  your 
**  majefly ;  and  I  may  boaft  to  have  had  the 
Vol.  11.  Ff  *^  honour 


€4 
€t 
€€ 


434         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        'B^  ^\ 

*'  honour  of  having  him  under  my  com- 
*'  mand  ^/' 

But  the  moft  noble  part  of  her  charafter 
was  her  peculiar  humanity  and  compaflion 
for  the  unfortunate •  Motrayc  has  paid  an 
handibme  tribute  to  this  excellence*  *^  She 
•*  had  in  fome  fort  the  government  of  all  his 
'^  (Peter's)  paffions  i  and  even  faved  the  lives 
of  a  gt^eat  many  more  perfons  than  Le  Fort 
was  able  to  do :  Ihe  infpired  him  v^rith  that 
humanity^  vviiich,  in  the  opinion  of  his 
fubjc<3:s,  nature  feemed  to  have  denkd  him,. 
*'  A  word  from  her  mouth  in  favour  of  a 
^  wretch,  juft  going  to  be  facrificed  to  his 
**  anger,  would  difarm  him  i  but  if  he  was 
**  fully  refolved  to  fatisfy  that  paffion,  he 
**  would  give  orders  for  the  execution  vdien 
**  Ihe  was  abfent,  for  fear  fhe  fhould  plead 
**  for  the  vi<aim  -{•."  In  a  word,  to  ufe  the 
cxpreflion  of  the  celebrated  Munic,  "  Elk 
**  etoit  propremeril  la  media  trice  entre  le  mo^ 
**  narque  et fes fi^ets\r 

♦  Bu&hiiig  had  the  above  aiKcdote  from  a  kdy  who 
was  priefent  at  this  conference*  Hift.  Mag.  Vol.  IIL 
p.  190. 

t  Motraye's  Travels,  Vol.  III.  p.  131. 
X  Ebauchcy&c.  p.  54.     "  She  was  the  mediatrix  be- 
^  tween  the  monarch  attd  his  fubjeds. 

%  CHAP. 


C.  8.    ALEXEY     PETROVITCH.     435 


CHAP.     VIII. 

Account  of  Alexey  Petrovitch. — Principles  by 
which  Peter  jujlified  his  exclujion  from  the 
throne. — KffeBs  of  his  had  education.^^ 
Dread  of  his  fat  her. — His  ef cape  from  Peterf- 
burgh. — His  trial  and  condemnation.^ — In*- 
quiry  into  the  caufe  of  his  death. — Hifiory 
of  his  wife  Charlotte  Chriftina  Sophia 
Prmcejs  of  Brunfwick; — Circumjlances  tf 
her  death. — Falfe  rumours  of  her  ^fcape  and 
fubfeqwnt  adventures. 

AL  E  X  E  T,  the  fole  fruit  of  the  in- 
aufpicious  marriage  between  Peter  the 
Great  and  Eudocia  Lapukin,  was  born  in 
the  year  1690 ;  and  never  was  the  birth  of 
any  prince  more  unfortunate  to  himfelf>  to  his 
parent$>  and  to  his  country. 

I  fliall  introduce  the  account  of  this  per- 
fonage  by  a  tranflation  of  a  curious  letter, 
written  in  171 5,  from  an  Auftrian  envoy  at 
Peteriburgh  to  the  prime  minifter  at  Vienna ; 
as  it  will  ferve  to  develope  the  principles  upon 
which  Peter  attempted  to  juilify  the  exclufion 
of  his  fon  from  the  throne. 

Ff2  "*In 


43^  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  4, 

*'  *  In  my  laft  I  informed  your  excellency 
**  that  I  had  an  opportunity  of  penetrating 
**  the  fentiments  of  the  tzar;  and  I  fhall  now 
**  acquaint  you  with  the  particulars,  which 
**  will  furprize  you.  Being  at  dinner  laft 
**  Sunday  at  the  vice-chancellor  ShaffiroPs, 
**  in  company  with  the  tzar ;  his  majefty  did 
**  me  the  honour  to  converfe  with  me  upon 
'^  different  topics ;  when,  the  difcourfe  turn- 
**  ing  upon  the  late  king  of  France,  his 
"  majelty  faid,  *  Certainly  France  was  never 
**  governed  by  a  greater  man  than  Louis  XIV. 
**  neverthelefs,'  added  he,  *  when  I  confider 
*^  the  little  care  which  he  took  to  perpetuate 
"  the  glory  of  his  kingdom  after  his  demife  -, 
'**  I  have  no  longer  the  fame  efteem  for  his 
*'  memory  which  I  have  hitherto  held  for  his 
**  great  and  heroic  adlions.  Louis  XIV.  at 
*^  his  advanced  age,  could  not  reafonably  have 
^'  indulged  the  hope  of  a  much  longer  life: 
**  if,  therefore,  he  difcovered  in  the  in- 
'*  fant  (Louis  XV.)  his  fucceflbr  any  evident 
**  marks  of  a  future  incapacity  to  reign ; 
**  why  did  he  entruft  him  to  the  care  of  a 
**  man  who  will  not  fail  to  adopt  any  means, 
**  however  defperate,  that  may  tend  to  fecure 

♦  Bufc.  Hift.  Mag.  m.  p.  185,  &c- 
.  ♦  8  the 


C.  8*     ALEXEY     PETROVITCH.       437 

*-*  the  throne  to  himfelf  ?  Why  did  he  not  ex- 
^^  elude  the  duke  of  Orleans  from  any  fhare 
^'^  in  the  regency  ?  Or,  if  he  knew  the  duke  to 
'*  be  a  man  of  a  fuperior  genius,  as  he  uii- 
*^  doubtedly  is  ^  and  his  great-grandfon,  ei- 
'*  ther  on  account  of  his  tender  age  or  fome 
^^  corporal  infirmity,  incapable  of  governing, 
*^  why  did  he  not  declare  a  perfon  of  fuch 
*^  abilities  as  the  duke  of  Orleans  his  fuc- 
^^  ceflbr  ?  By  thefe  means  his  grand  iyftem 
*^  would  have  flood  unfhaken  even  by  his 
*^  death  ;  whereas  we  have  now  every  reafon 
*^  to  conclude  that  France  will  decline/  I 
"made  anfwer,  *  that  as,  according  to  the 
fundamental  laws  of  the  kingdom,  the 
firft  prince  of  the  blood  is  neceffarily  regent 
'*  during  the  king's  minority ;  Louis  XIV^. 
"  could  not  exclude  the  duke  of  Orleans 
"  from  the  regency  without  breaking  the  law. 
"  of  fucceffion,  which  no  king  of  France 
could  venture  to  infringe,*  &c.  '  There- 
fore,' replied  the  tzar,  *  a  prince,  whp,  by 
*'  facrificing  his  health,  and  even  frequently 
^'  expofing  his  life,  had  at  length  rendered 
"  his  country  refpedtable  and  formidable, 
"  would,  according  to  your,  hypothefis,  be 
*^  conftrained  to  fuifer  the  fruits  of  his  labours 
^^  to  be  deilroyed  in  the  hands  of  a  madman, 

F  f  3  **  provided 


<4 


€€ 


€€ 


438         TRAYIL?    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.4, 

**  provided  he  was  his  neareft  relation  •  I  own 
**  I  am  not  of  your  opinion.  It  is  by  nq 
*'  means,  a?  it  appears  to  me,  fufficient,  that 
*'  a  monarch  fhpuld  exert  himfelf  to  aggran- 
**  di^c  his  ftate,  and  to  render  it  flouri£hing 
during  his  life  ;  but  he  ought  alfo  by  wife 
precautions  to  perpetuate  its  glory  after  his 
**  demife ;  which,  can  in  no  other  manner 
**  be  eff^dhiated  than  by  appoin^g  an  heir 
who  fhall  be  capable,  not  only  to  maintain 
his  acquifitions  and  preferve  his  eftablifli- 
f  *  ments  :  but  alfo  to  execute  the  reft  of  his 
**  defigns,  were  he  even  to  feledt  him  from  the 
**  crowd  of  his  fubjefts/  *  You/  added  he, 
**  would  tax  a  prince  with  cruelty,  who,  in 
**  order  to  fave  his  ftate,  which  ought  to  be 
f'  dearer  to  him  than  the  blood  in  his  veins, 
**  ftiould  attempt  to  alter  the  fucceffion  of 
*'  his  blood ;  and  I,  on  the  contrary,  conceive 
**  it  to  be  the  greateft  of  all  cruelties,  to  fa- 
**  crifiee  the  fafety  of  the  ftate  to  the  mere 
*^  right  of  an  cftabliflied  fucceffion.  Let  us 
**  fupppfe  that  the  fucceifor  has  not  the  qua- 
**  Hties  requifite  for  a  fovpreign  -,  a  convent, 
*'  and  not  a  throne^  is  a  proper  afylum  for 
weak  princes.  David,  for  example,  had 
many  fons ;  but,  as  he  found  not  in  the  eldef^ 
f  ^  tihe  qualities  which  a  king  of  Ifrael  ought  to 

''  have 


€€ 
4< 


C.  8.     ALEXEY     PETHOVITCH.     439 

**  have  poflefled,  he  chofe  the5^ungcfl:  for  his 
fucceflbr :  God  himfelf  approved  the  choice, 
inftcad  of  blaming  him  for  not  paying  any 
regard  to  pretenfions  of  primogeniture, 
**  which  was  neverthelefs  highly  refpedcd  by 
**  the  Jews.  If  the  gangrene  (making  me 
^*  touch  at  the  fame  time  the  end  of  his 
^'  thumb)  attacks  my  finger,  am  I  not  obli- 
*^  ged,  notwithftanding  it  is  part  of  my  body, 
**  to  cut  it  off,  or  fhould  I  not  be  guilty  of 
^*  fuicide  ?' 

*^  In  fliort,  I  now  comprehend  the  caufe 
*'  of  the  law  lately  introduced  by  the  tMr, 
^*  which  adjudges  all  real  eftates  of  a  family 
**  to  one  of  the  male  children,  but  which  leaves 
to  the  father  the  abfolute  power  of  appoint- 
ing his  heir  without  confidering  the  right  of 
**  primogeniture ;  and  I  am  now  convinced 
**  that  the  tzar  has  in  his  own  mind  decreed 
**  the  exclufion  of  his  eldeft  fon ;  and  that 
*'  we  fhall  one  day  fee  Alexey,  with  his  head 
**  fhaven,  thruft  into  a  monaftery,  and  obliged 
**  to  pafs  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  prajdng 
*^  and  chanting  hymns.     Nov.  15,  1715/' 

The  prophecy  of  this  writer  was  afterwards 
fulfilled,  though,  inftead  of  being  fhut  up  in 
a  convent,  the  wretched  prince  expired  in  a 
prifon.     The  circumftances  which  occafioned 

F  f  4  hi? 


440         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  4. 

his  cxclufion  and  death  are  well  known ;  but 
as  we  have  received  them  through  the  medium 
of  his  accufers,  we  ought  to  be  very  careful  in 
giving  credit  to  all  the  charges  with  which 
his  memory  has  been  ftigmatized.     One  fad* 
is    incontrovertible,   that  his  education  was 
moft  fliamefuUy  neglected,  and  that  he  was  a 
ilranger  to  the  reftraints  neceffary  at  his  age, 
until  the  time  of  introducing  proper  habitudes 
had  almoft  elapfed.     He  was   committed  to 
the  care  of  women,  and  to  the  inftrudtion  of 
the  Ruffian  priefts,  the  loweft  and  moft  igno- 
rant of  men ;  who  inftilled  into  him  all  the 
prejudices  of  their  religion,  and  were  continu- 
ally inveighing  againft  his  father  for  the  abo- 
lition of  many  barbarous  cuftoms,  which  they 
had  long  confidered  with  a  reverential  awe. 
Nor  was    he    releafed   from   this    wretched 
fpecies  of  tuition  before  the  eleventh  year  of 
his  age ;  when  Baron  Huyfen,  a  man  of  great 
merit  and  ability,  was  appointed  his  governor. 
Under  this  judicious  inftrudor  he  feems  to 
have  made  no  inconfiderable  progrefs,  and  his 
early  prejudices  might   have  gradually  worn 
away ;  if  prince  Mentchikof  had  not  contriv- 

♦  Se^  Memoire  abrege  fur  la  vie  du  tzarevitch  Alexei 
Petrovitch,  in  Buf.  Hift.  Mag.  p.  195. 


-  --*" 


C,8.      ALEXEY     PETROVITCH.      44I 

ed  to  remove  from  him  the  only  perfon  who 
was  likely  to  inftil  into  him  proper  principles 
of  adtion,  and  taken  upon  himfelf  the  fuper-* 
intendence  of  his  education.  But  as  that 
prince  *  fcarcely  ever  faw  him,  and  placed 
about  him  the  moft  improper  perfons ;  he 
feems  to  have  intentionally  given  him  a  full 
fcope  to  his  vicious  inclinations,  and  to  have 
abandoned  him  to  the  company  of  the  loweft 
wretches,  by  whom  he  was  encouraged  to 
continual  ebriety,  and  tb  every  kind  of  the 
loweft  excefs  ;  yet  this  defigning  minifter  art- 
fully extorted  from  the  tzarovitch,  in  prifon, 
a  confeffion  that  he  was  the  only  perfon  who 
had  taken  any  care  of  his  education -f, 

♦  Buf.  H.  M.  p.  196. 

f  L'Evefque  makes  the  following  juft  reflections  upon 
this  unaccountable  circumftance.  "  Croira-t-on  qu'il  ait 
"  fait  fincerement  &  de  lui-meme  Teloge  des  foins  que 
"  Menchikof  avait  pris  de  fon  education ;  lorfqu'on  fait 
•  ''  d'ailleurs  que  Menchikof  approchait  de  lui  tout  au  plus 
**  trois  ou  quatre  fois  par  an,  &  ne  lui  parlait  qu'  avec 
**  le  ton  du  mepri«  le  plus  dur  &  le  plus  outrageant  ?  Si  on 
"  le  cpntraignit  a  louer  le  favori  de  Pierre,  I'ami  de  Ca- 
"  tharjne,  ne  peut-on  pas  lui  avoir  di<Se  de  meme  tout  ce 
*«  qu'on  voulait  lui  faire  dire  ?"  Hift.  de  RufTie,  Tom.  IV, 

p.  442. 

This  conjefture  is  greatly  ftrengthened  by  coiifidermg 
^hat  the  eulogium  of  prince  Mentchik6f  was  obtained  jfrom 
^^lexey  in  prifon  by  Tolftoe,  the  creature  of  Mfentchikof. 

It 


442         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B,  4. 

It  appears  fram  feveral  fads,  that  Peter  had 
conceived  a  very  early  prejudice  againft  his 
ion ;  and  infpired  him  with  fuch  terror,  that, 
in  order  to  avoid  drawing  before  his  father, 
the  young  prince  once  difcharged  a  piftol 
againft  his  own  right  hand.  All  perfons, 
however,  join  in  condemning  the  imprudence 
and  obftinacy  of  Alexey,  which  feem  to  have 
warped  his  judgment,  and,  at  times,  to  have 
tranlported  him  to  a  degree  of  infanity .  Bruce, 
who  knew  him  well,  gives  the  following 
account  of  his  perfon  and  manners ;  and,  as 
he  w^s  not  prejudiced  againft  him,  his  tef- 
timony  muft  be  efteemed  more  valid  than  all 
the  laboured  accufation§  of  his  enemies, 

"  The  cfsarowitz  arrived  in  Mofcow  this  winter  (1714) 
"  where  I  faw  him  for  the  firft  time.  He  kept  a  mean 
"  Finlandifh  girl  for  his  miftrefs.  I  went  often  with  the 
**  general  to  wait  on  him ;  and  he  came  frequently  to  the 
**  general's  houfe,  attended  by  very  mean  and  low  perfons. 
*'  He  was  very  flovenly  in  his  drcfs ;  his  perfon  was  tall^ 
**  well  made,  of  a  brown  complexion,  black  hair  and  eyes, 
"  of  a  ftern  countenance,  and  ftrong  voice.  He  frequently 
5'  did  me  the  honour  to  talk  with  me  in  German,  being 
"  fully  mafter  of  that  language ;  he  was  adored  by  the 
"  populace,  but  little  refpefted  by  the  fuperior  ranks,  for 
*'  whom  he  never  (hewed  the  leaft  regard  ;  he  was  always 
"  furrounded  by  a  number  of  debauched  ignorant  priefts, 
^*  and  other  mean  perfons  of  bad  charafter,  in  whofe  com- 
*'  pany  he  always  reflected  on  his   father's  conduft  for 

"  aboHfhing 


C.  8.    ALEXEY     PETROVITCH,      443 

^'  aboJifting  the  antient  cuftoms  of  the  country,  declaring, 
**  that  as  foon  as  he  came  to  fucceed,  he  fliould  foon  re-^ 
**  ftore  Ruffia  to  its  former  ftate  ;  and  threatening  to  de- 
y^  ftroy,  without  referve,  all  his  father's  fovourites.  This 
**  he  did  fo  often,  and  with  fo  Jittle  referve,  that  it  could 
*'  not  mifs  reaching  the  emperor's  ears  ;  and  it  was  gene* 
**  rally  thought  he  now  laid  the  foundation  of  that  ruia 
5'  he  afterwards  met  with.'* 

And  again,  **  It  was  very  remarkable,  that  the  prince 
**  never  appeared  ^  any  of  the  public  meetings,  when  hi$ 
5*  majefty  was  attended  by  all  perfons  of  quality  and  rank, 
5'  fuch  as  birth-days,  celebrating  of  victories,  launching  of 
*'  fhips,  &c.  General  Bruce,  who  lived  next  door  to 
*'  the  pf ince,  had  orders  always  to  give  the  prince  notice 
*^  the  day  before  of  fuch  public  days  or  meetings,  and  I 
^^  had  the  honour  to  carry  and  deliver  the  meflage ;  but  his 
5'  highnefs,  to  avoid  appearing  in  public,  either  took  phyfic 
5*  or  let  blood,  always  making  his  excufe,  that  he  coul4 
5*  not  attend  for  want  of  health  ;  when,  at  the  fame  time, 
5*  it  was  notorioufly  known  that  he  got  drunk  in  very  bad 
*5  company,  when  he  ufed  conftantly  to  condemn  all  his 
f^  father's  anions  ♦•" 

Being  inflamed  by  continual  drunkennefs, 
and  worn  out  by  a  feries  of  perfecutions,  he 
was  driven  to  a  ftate  of  defperation ;  andr  at 
length,  in  the  year  171 6,  fuddenly  renouncing 
his  right  of  fuccefilon  in  favour  of  Peter's 
ion  by  Catharine,  he  demanded  permiflion  tq 
j-etire  into  a  convent.  But  foon  afterwards 
adopting  the  advice  of  his  principal  adherents, 

*  Bruce's  Memoirs,  p.  ipo  and  1:^7. 

he 


444         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.4. 

he  made  his  efcape  to  Vienna ;  where  he  put 
himfelf  under  the  protedtion  of  Charles  VI. 
That  emperor,  in  order  to  fhelter  him  from 
the  refentment  of  his  father,  fent  him  firft  to 
Infpruck  in  the  Tyrol ;  and  afterwards  re- 
moved him,  for  ftill  greater  fecurity,  to  the 
caftle  of  St,  Elmo  at  Naples.  Being  fccretly 
betrayed  by  his  Finlandifh  miftrefs,  whom  he 
is  reported  to  have  married,  and  influenced 
by  the  moft  folemn  promifes  of  perfe(5t  for- 
givenefs,  he  was  prevailed  upon,  by  the 
cmiiTaries  of  his  father,  to  return  to  Mofcow. 
Having  there  folemnly  renounced  all  right  of 
lucceflion  to  the  crown,  he  was  conveyed  to 
Petcrfburgh,  ^  thrown  into  the  fortrefs,  tried 
by  a  fele<ft  committee,  and  condemned  to  fuf- 
fer  death.  The  adls  of  his  procefs  and  con- 
demnation are  well  known,  being  publifhed 
by  order  of  the  emperor,  and  are  to  be  found 
in  feveral  authors  *. 

Whatever  prejudices  we  may  have  enter- 
tained againft  Alexey,  we  cannot  perufe  the 
trial  without  being  fhocked  at  the  cruel  and 
unjujft  mode  with  which  it  was  conduced : 
when  his   mercilefs  perfecutors  eagerly  laid 

*  Mottley,  Vol.  JI.     And  more   circumftantially  in 
Perry,  Vol.  IL 

hold 


r 


C.  8,    ALEXEY     TETROVITCH.      445 

hold  of  every  advantage  which  was  afforded 
by  his  youth  and  fimpUcity ;  when  his  Fin- 
landifh  miftrefs,  who  was  afterwards  penfion- 
ed  for  her  atteftations,  depofed  every  angry 
expreffion .  againft  his  father  which  fhe  ever 
recolleded  to  have  fallen  from  him  in  the  mojft 
unguarded  moments  ;  when  not  only  his  words 
and  adions  were  brought  to  witnefs  againft 
him ;  but  his  very  thoughts  were  fcrutinized ; 
and  his  own  confeffion  *  extorted  from  him 

in 

*  **  On  rtmarque,  que  dans  ce  proces  on  fuivait  les 
"  formes  infidieufes  de  Tinquifition.  C'etait  i  Taccufc  a 
*'  chercher  laborieufement  fes  fautes,  a  faire  des  efforts  de 
**  memoire  pour  les  aggraver.  Son  innocence  dependait 
*'  de  fe  declarer,  de  fe  prouver  criminel.  Un  oubli,  une 
'*  reticence  innocente  ou,  meme  louable  devenait  un  crime* 
'^  Ou  plutot,  epi^,  preffcj  furpris  de  tous  cotes,  il  nc  pouvait 
*'  eviter  fa  Condemnation.  S'il  taifait  fes  fautes,  fon  fi- 
^*  lence  le  rendait  coupable :  S'il  les  devoilait,  il  etait  con- 
•^  vaincu  par  fon  aveu/'    L'Evefque,  Vol.  IV*  p.  427, 

The  reader,  I  flatter  myfelf,  will  not  be  difpleafed  at  my 
introducing  to  his  acquaintance  fuch  fpirited  paflTages  as 
the  one  juft  quoted,  and  the  following,  upon  the  depo- 
fition  of  the  tzarovitch. 

^  La  fimplicite  enfantlne  de  toute  cette  dernierc  declara- 
*'  tion  eft  precieufe ;  EUe  prouve  que  le  tzarcvitch  pou- 
**  vait  avoir  les  vices  et  la  groffierete  d'une  mauvaife  Idu- 
^^  cation,  mais  qu'il  ne  pouvait  etre  criminel." 

And  again ;  ^'  Mais  que  ferait^ce,  fi  ces  aveux  les  plus 
^  forts  lui  avaient  ete  dides,  arrachcs,  extorques  ?  fi  ron 

**  avait 


44^  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        B.  4i 

in  prifbn  employed  to  convidt  him*  Indeed 
miny  of  his  own  dcpofitions,  which  tended 
iBoft  to  criminate  him,  by  difcovcring  inten-^ 
tions  of  rebellion,  were  not  openly  acknow-* 
ledged,  but  only  figned  by  him  in  prifon  $ 
and  a  fignal  difference  is  remarkable  between 
his  confedions  during  his  firil  examination  at 
Mofcow,  which  was  more  public,  and  thofe 
made  at  Peteriburgh,  when  his  trial  was 
chiefly  carrkd  on  in  private  before  Peter  and 
his  immediate  confidents :  circumftances  which 
feem  to  prove  the  infliction  of  torture. 

With  refpedl  to  Alexey^s  death,  there  are 
two  prevailing  opinions ;  one  advanced  in  the 
manifefto  of  Peter,  that  he  was  feized  with 
an  apopledtic    fit,  and  died  of  convullions 

**  avait  mis  a  profit  fa  timidite,  fa  feiblefle,  pour  le  forcer,  a 
**  fe  montrer  plus  coupable  qu'il  ne  T^it  en  effct  ?  Si, 
*'  chaque  jour  des  mauvais  traitements  nouveaux  fatiguai- 
*^  cnt,  domtaient  fa  patience,  &  Tobligeaient  a  feire  les 
**  aveux  qu*on  exigeait  de  lui  ?  fi  Ton  employait  meme  les 
**  tortures  pour  vaincre  fa  r6fiftance  ?  fi  fes  cris  &  le  bruit 
*'  des  coups  qu*il  reccvait  etatent  entendus  par  un  prilbn- 
^^  met  qui  etait  en  meme  temps  dans  la  fortere^,  &  qui  a 
**  devoil^  depuis  cet  odieux  fecret  ?  fi  le  tzar  lui  meme 
**  ftait  le  fpe<Shiteur  &  peut-etre  le  miniftre  des  tourments 
^*  de  f<m  fils  ?  On  ne  peut  s^empecTier  de  rapporter  cette 
**  tradition :  mais  elk  afliige  l*humanit6  qui  fe  plait  a  la 
*  revoquer  en  doute  ;  eUe  femble  en  meme  temps  choquer 
*•  la  YraifiMnWance.**    Ibid.  p»  440,  441. 

occafioned 


ۥ8.    ALEXEY     PETROVITCH.      447 

occafioned  by  the  violent  paffions  of  his  mind 
and  the  terrors  of  death  ^  and  the  other,  that 
he  was  fecretly  executed  in  prifon.  The 
latter  fcems  moft  entitled  to  belief,  notwith- 
ftanding  the  aflertions  of  Peter,  and  the  apo- 
logy of  his  panegyrifts,  particularly  of  Voltaire, 
who  has  fupported  his  innocence  with  the 
moft  plaufible  arguments. 

Of  all  the  accounts  of  the  prince's  death, 
that  given  by  Bufching  feems  to  be  the 
moft  probable  and  authentic.  This  au- 
thor *  pofitively  affirms,  that  he  was  be- 
hieaded  by  order  of  his  father;  and  that 
marftial  Weyde  performed  the  officfe  of 
executioner.  He  received  the  intelligence 
from  a  lady  at  Peterft)urgh,  named  Cramer, 
who  was  in  high  confidence  both  with  Peter 
and  Catharine;  and  who  was  employed  in 
fewing  the  prince's  head  to  his  body  previous 
to  its  lying  in  ftate.  During  my  ftay  at  Pe- 
terfburgh  I  was  at  fome  pains  to  authenticate 
this  fad: ;  but  I  found  it  extremely  difficult 
to  obtain  any  pofitive  information  concerning 
fo  fecret  a  tranfaSion.  The  moft  material 
circumftances  I  could  coUedt  were  comma* 

*  Buf.  Hif.  Mag.  VoL  III.  p.  224.  Alfo  Introduftioa 
to  Vol.  IX. 

nicated 


44^        TRAVELS    INTO    RUS^SIA,         B.  4* 

nicated  to  me  by  an  intimate  acquaintance  of 
the  above-mentioned  lady  :  he  allured  me  that 
he  had  frequently  attempted  to  converie  with 
her  upon  the  death  of  Alexey,  but  had  always 
found  her  extremely  averfe  to  hold  any  dif- 
courfe  upon  the  fubjed: ;  that  fhe  feemed  ex- 
ceedingly fhocked  whenever  this  topic  was 
introduced  -,  and  that  nothing  could  be  fur- 
ther extorted  from  her,  than  that  fhe  was 
the  perfon  who  prepared  the  body  for  the  ce- 
remony of  its  lying  in  ftate.  This  unwilling- 
nefs  of  the  lady  to  enter  upon  the  fubjed, 
together  with  her  declaration  that  fhe  pre- 
pared the  body,  feems  to  add  a  great  de- 
gree of  confirmation  to  the  account  of  Buf- 
ching. 

An  additional  proof,  in  favour  of  the  authen- 
ticity of  this  fad,  I  lately  received  from  an  En- 
glifh  gentleman  of  undoubted  veracity.  That 
gentleman  afTured  me,  that  he  had  been  inform- 
ed by  prince  Cantemir's  fecretary,  with  whom 
he  was  intimately  acquainted  abroad,  that 
Alexey  was  beheaded  in  prifon.  As  prince 
Cantemir  was  in  high  favour  with  Peter,  the 
intelligence  of  his  confidential  fecretary  mufl 
carry  with  it  great  weight.  This  fad  appears 
fo  well  attefled,  that  many  of  the  German  hif- 
torians,  who  have  written  upon  RufHa,  have 

adopted 


ۥ8.      ALEXEYPETROVITCH.     449 

adopted  it  without  referve;  and,  in  feveral 
genealogical  tables  of  the  imperial  family, 
Alexey  is  inferted,  as  beheaded.  A  paflage, 
however,  in  Bruce's  Memoirs,  feems  at  firft 
light  to  invalidate  this  concurrent  evidence, 
and  to  prove  that  he  was  poifoned.  This 
paflage  is  too  curious  not  to  be  introduced  to 
the  reader. 

**  The  trial  *  was  begun  the  25th  of  June,  ancf  continued 
*^  to  the  6th  of  July,  when  this  fupreme  court,  with  un- 
"animous  confent,    pafled   fentence  of  death   upon   the 
"  prince,  but  left  the  manner  of  it  to  his  majefty's  deter- 
*^  mination  :   the  prince  was  brought  before  the  court,  his 
'*  fentence  was  read  to  him,  and  he  was  re-conveyed  to  the 
*'  fortrefs.     On  the  next  day,  his  majefty,  attended  by  all 
*^  the  fenitors  and  bifhops,  with  feversJ  others  of  high  rank; 
*^  went  to  the  fort,  and  entered  the  apartments  where  the 
"tzarovitch  was  kept  prifoner.     Some  little  time  there- 
*^  after,  rnarflial  Weyde  came  out,  and  ordered  me  to  go 
"  to  Mr.  Bear's  the  druggift,    whofe  jQiop  was  hard-by, 
**  and  tell  him  to  make  the  potion  ftrong  which  he  had 
*'  befpoke,  as  the  prince  was  then  very  ill :  when  I  deli- 
"  vered  this  meflage  to  Mr.  Bear,  he  turned  quite  pale, 
"  and  fell  a  fhaking  and  trembling, '  and  appeared  in  the 
"  utmoft  confufion ;  which  furpized  me  fo  much,  that  I 
"  afked  him  what  was  the  matter  with  him,  but  he  was 
"  unable  to  return  me  any  anfwer :  in  the  mean  time  the 
"  rnarflial  himfelf  came  in,  much  in  the  fame  condition 
"  with  the  druggift,  faying,  he  ought  to.  have  been  more 
"  expeditious,  as  the  prince  was  very  ill  of  an  apopledtic 

f  Bruce's  Memoirs,  p.  185— iSj, 

Vol.  II.  Gg  "fit$ 


450        TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       8.4. 

•^  fit ;  upon  this  the  druggift  dtlivcrcd  him  a  filvcr  cuj> 
**  with  a  cover,  which  the  mar(hal  himfelf  carried  into  the 
**-  prince's  apartment,  ftaggerii^  all  the  way  as  he  went 
**  like  one  drunk.     About  half  an  hour  after,  the  t»ar,  with 
<•  all  his  attendants,  withdrew,  with  very  difinal  couote- 
**  nances  j  and  when  they  went,  the  mariha}  ordered  me 
**  to  attend  at   the   prince's  apartment,  and,  in   cafe  of 
•*  any  alteration,   to    inform   him    immediately    thereof* 
**  There  were  at  that  time  two  phyficians  and  twa  iiirgeons 
♦*  in  waiting,  with  whom,  and  the  officer  on  guard,  I  dined 
•*  on  what  had  been  drefled  for  the  prince's  dinner.     The 
**  ph3rricians  were  called  in  immediately  after  to  attend  the 
**  prince,  who  was  ftruggling  out  of  one  convulfion  into 
**  another,  and,  after  great  agonies,  exjnred  at  five  o'clock 
*^  in  the  afternoon.    I  went  diredlly  to  inform  the  marflial^ 
^^  and  he  went  that  moment  to  acquaint  his  majefty,  who 
^  ordered  the  corpfe  to  be  embowelled,  after  which  it  was 
*'  laid  in  a  coffin^  covered  with  bhck  velvet,  and  a  pall  of 
•'  rich  gold  tiffue  fpread  over  it ;  it  was  then  carried  out 
*'  of  the  fort  to  the  church  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  where  the 
*•  corpfe  lay  in  ftate  till  the  iiA  in  the  evening,  when  it 
**  was  carried  back  to  the  fort,  and  depofited  in  the  royal 
"  burying  vault,  next  the  coffin  of  the  princefs  his  late 
♦*  confort  5  on  which  occafion  the  tzar  and  tzarina,  and  the 
**  chief  of  the  nobility,  followed  in  proceffion.     Various 
•*  were  the  reports  that  were  fpread  concerning  bis  death : 
**  it  was  given  out  publicly,  that  on  hearing  his  fentencc 
"  of  death  pronounced,  the  dread  thereof  threw  him  into 
**  an  apople<5lic  fit,  of  which  he  died :  very  few  believed  be 
**  died  a  natural  death^  but  it  was  dangeraus  for  peopfe  /» 
^fpeak  as  they  thought.     The  minifters  of  the  emperor,  and 
f^  the  ftates  of  Holland,  were  forbid  the  court  for  (peaking 
**  their  minds  too  fi-eely  on  this  occafion,  and,  upon  com- 
"  plaint  againft  them,  were  both  recalled*** 

From 


C,  8.     A  L  E  X  E  y    P  E  T  R  0  V  I  T  C  H.      45I 

From  this  account  it  appears  that  the 
prince  was  ftill  alive  when  Peter,  with  the 
nobles  and  bishops,  remained  in  the  fortrefs ; 
and  that  he  died  in  the  interval  between  their 
departure  and  the  afternoon:  but  it  by  no 
means  follows,  even  from  this  ftate  of  the 
cafe,  that  the  t^rovitch  was  poifoned.  For^ 
can  we  fuppofe  that  Peter  would  ^rder  a  dofc 
gf  ppifon  to  be  prepared  for  hi$  fon  at  a  chy- 
mift's  fhop ;  and  that  marfhal  Weyde  would 
openly  fend  for  it  without  the  leaft  myftery  ? 
May  we  not  rather  infer  that  the  potion  wa$ 
moft  probably  a  medicine  fimilar  to  thofe 
which  had  been  already  prefcribed  for  the 
prince,  who  had  for  fome  time  been  extreme* 
ly  indifpofed  ?  The  fright  of  the  ch)main: 
might  proceed .  from  his  delivering  a  medicine 
for  the  tzarovitch,  who  was  faid  to  be  in  the 
agonies  of  death ;  as,  in  a  defpotic  country, 
and  under  fuch  a  fovereign  as  Peter,  his  own 
fafety  might  be  involved  in  the  cataftrophe. 
The  agitation  of  marfhal  Weyde  will  be  ftill 
more  eafily  and  fatisfad:orily  accounted  for; 
If,  according  to  Bufching,  he  was  preparing 
to  perform,  or  had  already  performed,  the 
execution. 

The  principal  circumftance  which  feems 
to  contradii^:  the  opinion  that  he  was  behead- 

G  g  2  ed. 


45^         TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.        «.  4. 

cd,  is,  that  if  Bruce's  narrative  is  to  be  de- 
pended upon,  the  prince,  when  he  fell  after- 
wards into  repeated  convulfions,  was  vifited 
by  the  phyficians ;  and  yet,  if  Bufching's  ac- 
count can  be  relied  on,  he  muft'  have  been 
already  beheaded ;  as  marlhal  Weyde,  accord- 
ing to  Bruce,  had  finally  quitted  the  forttefs. 
But  it  is  poflible  that  the  phyficians,  although 
ordered  to  attend  upon  the  prince,  might  be 
prevented  from  feeing  him ;  it  is  poflible  that 
marfhal  Weyde  might  have  fecretly  returned  to 
the  fortrefs  without  the  knowledge  of  colonel 
Bruce  -,  it  is  poflible  that  Bruce  himfelf,  as 
being  an  intimate  friend  of  marflial  Weyde, 
might  have  been  entrufl:ed  with  the  fecret, 
but  was  unwilling  to  record,  in  his  Memoirs, 
fo  horrid  a  cataftrophe,  which  was  totally 
repugnant  to  the  manifefl:o  of  the  emperor  : 
and  indeed  it  plainly  appears  from  his  narra- 
tive, that  he  knew  more  than  he  chofe  to 
difcover.  When  the  fecret  execution  of  the 
heir  apparent  of  a  defpotic  empire  becomes 
the  fubjedt  of  inquiry,  it ,  muft  always  be 
difficult  to  afcertain  the  truth ;  and  it  would 
be  unreafonable  to  expert  that  no  contraditflory 
circumfl:ances  fhould  occur  in  the  dififerent 
relations  of  fuch  a  myfl:erious  tranfadtion; 
when,  even  in  the  moft  conimon  occurrences, 

no 


C.  8.    ALJBXEY-    PETROVITCH.     453 

HO  two  pcrfons  would  relate  the  fame  event 
precifely  in  the  fame  manner, 
'  Catharine  is  not  free  from  fufpicion  of  be^ 
ing  concerned  in  this  horrid  afifair,  as  well 
becaufe  her  fon  by  Peter  was  declared  fuccef- 
Ibr,  as  becaufe  Tolfloi,  to  whom  the  manage- 
ment of  the  procefs  and  the  private  examina- 
tion of  Alexey  were  chiefly  entrufted,  was 
well  known  to  be  a  creature  of  Mentchikof, 
whofe  interefts  were  clofely  conne<fted  with 
tbofe  of  the  emprefs.  But  this  accufation  of 
Catharine  could  be  only  a  mere  furmife; 
and  her  interference,  if  ihe  really  interfered, 
muft  have  been  conduced  in  fo  fecret  a  man- 
ner, as  not  to  have  been  difcovered.  Peter 
himfelf  exculpated  her^  opfenly  teftifying*, 
that  fhe  interceded  for  his  fon's  life;  and 
requefted^  that,  inftead  of  being  put  to  death, 
he  might  be  confined  in  a  convent.  Not  to 
mention  that  fuch  proceedings  militate  ftrongly 
againft  the  well-known  humanity  of  Catha- 
rine; there  was  no  occafion  to  irritate  the  favage 
temper  of  P^ter,  too  much  inclined  to  inflidl 
the  fevereft  punifhment  upon  his  fon,  who  had 
threatened  to  overturn  all  his  plans  of  refor- 
mation, and  to  deftroy,  in  a  moment,  that 
vaft  fabric  pf  glory  and  power  which  he  had 

*  Baflevitz, 

G  g  3  employed 


454  TltAVEli    INfd    RUSSIA.        B.4. 

employed  many  years  in  erc(fHng.  The  mo- 
narch who  could  himfelf  attend  the  inflidiion 
of  torture;  who  had  oecafionally  performed 
the  office  of  executioner ;  and  who  had  even 
ordered  the  firft  partner  of  his  bed  to  be 
fcourged  -,  would  not  require  any  incitement 
to  commapd  the  execution  of  that  fon,  whom 
he  had  publicly  treated  with  the  moft  inhu- 
man ferocity. 

The  following  note,  written  with  Peter's 
own  hand  to  count  Romanzof,  who,  in  con-* 
jundtion  with  dount  Tolftoi,  brought  the  un-r 
fortunate  Alexey  from  Naples,  will  ferve  to 
tlifplay  the  inflexible  fpirit  of  that  monarch, 
who  forgot  the  feelings  of  a  father  in  his  anx- 
iety for  the  public  good.  **  I  grant  you  the 
**  ranks  of  major-general  and  lieutenant-gene- 
^'  ral,  and  the  eftates  of  Alexander  Kikin 
'*  and  Kuril  Matufhkin  *,  in  confideration 
**  of  the  fignal  fervice  which  you  have  juft 
*•  conferred,  not  only  upon  me,  but,  what  is 
**  more,  upon  your  country,  in  bringing  back 
"  him,  who  by  his  birth  is  my  fon,  and  by 
**  his  aftions  the  enemy  of  his  father  and  of 
*'  his  country -f." 

*  Two  of  Alexey's  unfortunate  adherents.  Who  with 
many  others  were  executed  upon  this  occafion. 

f  This  note,  which  has  not  yet  appeared  in  print,  was 
communicated  to  me  by  a  Ruffian  nobleman,  who  favoured 
me  wi^'a  tranflation  from  the  originals 

The 


C.  8*    CHARLOTTE  CHRISTINA  SOPHIA.  455 

The  wife  of  Alexey,  Charlotte  Chriftina 
Sophia,  whofe  fate  has  already  been  briefly  re- 
lated, was  daughter  of  Louis  Rhodolph  of 
Brunfwick-Blankenburgh,  and  fifter  of  Eli- 
zabeth Chriftina,  confort  of  the  emperor 
Charles  VI,  She  wa«  born  on  the  29th  of 
Auguft,  1694 ;  efpoufed,  on  the  25th  of  Odx)^ 
ber,  1 7 1 1 ,  at  Torgau,  the  tzarovitch  Alexey  j 
and  in  July  of  the  enfuing  year  made  Jier  en- 
trance ihto  Peterlburgh  *• 

Although  this  amiable  princels  feems  to 
have  been  the  choice  of  Alexey,  who  faw 
her  at  her  father's  court,  yet  he  always  treated 
her  with  the  utmoft  negledt;  and  gave  up 
his  whole  time  and  attention  to  his  favourite 
miftrefs  Euphrofyne,  a  Finlandlfh  girj  of  the 
loweft  extraction.  It  does  not,  indeed,  appear^ 
that  the  prince,  as  is  reported  by  fome  writers, 
treated  her  in  fo  inhunian  a  manner,  that  he 
frequently  ftruck  her  ;  for  even  if  he  had  boen 
fufficiently  brutal  to  have  been  inclined  to 
fuch  a  condu<ft,  he  would  have  been  reftrained 
by  his  apprehenfions  of  his  father ;  who,  as 
well    as    Catharine,     always    exprefled    the 

♦  This  account  of  the  princefs  is  chiefly  taken  from 
MuUer's  «'  Von  der  Princeflin  von  Wolfenbuettcl  als 
^'  vermahlten  Ruflifchen  Kronprinceffin."  In  Buf.  Hift. 
Mag.  XV.  p.  234. 

9  g  4  ftrongeft 


456  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  4, 

llrongcft  Gompaflion  for  her  wretched  fituation, 
and  fliowed  her  conftant  proofs  of  his  affec- 
tion and  regard.  Her  hufband's  unconquerable 
antipathy  feems  to  have  been  chiefly  derived 
from  his  fufpicions  that  fhe  lodged  complaints 
again  ft  him  to  the  emperor,  who  frequently 
and  roughly  expoftulated  with  him  on  this 
inftance  of  his  ill-conduA,  Unfortunately 
her  domeftic  uneafinefs  was  increafed  by  Ju- 
liana princefs  of  Eaft-Friefland,  who  accom-* 
panied  her  into  Ruffia ;  to  whom  fhe  ufed  to 
unbofom  her  grief  and  anxiety  ;  and  who  im-r 
prudently  fanned  the  flame  inflcad  of  endea- 
vouring to  quench  it. 

The  fruits  of  this  ill-afTorted  union  were 
Natalia,  who  was  born  at  Peterfburgh  in 
1 7 14,  and  died  at  Mofcow  in  1728;  and  a 
prince,  afterwards  the  emperor  Peter  II.  who 
was  brought  into  the  wor].d  on  the  23d  of 
Odober,  171 5. 

A  few  days  after  the  prince's  birth,  the 
confequences  of  her  delivery,  and  the  melan^ 
choly  which  had  long  preyed  upon  her  frame, 
hurried  he.r  prematurely  to  the  grave ;  ^nd 
fhe  expired  on  the  2d  of  November,  in  the 
2ifl  year  of  her  age.  The  approach  of  her 
death  was  afFeding  to  all  but  her  hufband 
and  herfelf ;  and  her  fpirit  had  been  fo  fub- 

due4 


C.  8.    CHARLOTTE  CHRISTINA  SOPHIA.  457 

dued  by  afHidtion,  that  fhe  confidered  her 
diflblution  as  a  welcome  rckafe  from  all  her 
fufFerings.  Impreffed  with  this  fentiment, 
fhe  faid  to  her  phyficians,  **  Do  not  torment 
*^  me  any  more,  for  I  will  live  no  longer  *•" 

On  the  day  which  preceded  her  deceafe, 
Ihe  dictated  the  following  petition  to  Peter 
the  Great,  which  may  be  confidered  as  her 
will. 

^*  The  moil  humble  and  laft  entreaties 
^  from  the  under- written  to  his  imperial 
'  majefty. 

I  •  **  His  Imperial  majefly  will  order  my 

*  funeral  as  he  fhall  think  proper.     I  could 

*  wifli,  neverthelefs,  that  my  body  may  be 

*  buried  in  a  place  where  it  may  remain 

*  undifturbed  until  the  fecond  coming  of  our 

*  Saviour.     2.  Both  my  beloved  children  I 

*  recommend  to  the  care  and  affedtion  of  his 

*  imperial  majefty,   my  gracious  father-in- 

*  law,  that  they  may  be  educated  according 

*  to  their  birth  and  ftation.     3.  I  leave  my 

*  jewels  and  other  valuable  things  in  gol4 
'  and  filver  to  my  children ;  and  a  reafonablc 

^'  part  of  my  clothes  and  linen  to  my  coufin 
^f  the  princefs  of  Eaft-Friefland.     4.  I  be- 

f  Bruce's  Memoirs,  p.  I48. 

<^  fcech 


458  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  4. 

*•  feech  his  imperial  majefty  gracioufly  to  per- 
^*  mi%  thofe  perfons  who  accompanied  me 
*•  hither  to  return^  and  to  defray  the  expence 
**  of  thtir  journey.  5,  On  account  of  the 
**  deamcfs  of  this  place,  and  becaufe  my 
^^  fcrvants  were  ftrangers,  I  have  contracted 
*•  fome  debts,  which  I  intreat  his  imperial 
^'  majefty  to  difcharge,  that  I  may  be  re^ 
**  membered  with  honour,  and  that  no  un- 
^*  worthy  reports  may  be  circulated  after  ihy 
**  death.  The  fums,  which  the  crown  wilj 
**  fave  by  my  deceafe,  may  be  employed  in 
**  discharging  thefe  debts,  fince  it  is  God's 
^*  will  that  I  depart  from  this  world  fo  pTer 
*^  miaturely  and  unexpectedly,  6.  My  un- 
*'  forefeen  and  untimely  death  is  alfo  th? 
*'  caufc  of  my  being  unable  to  recompenfe 
^'  my  domeftics,  who  had  the  care  of  regu^ 
*'  lating  my  expences  1  and  as  I  am  perfectly 
'*  fiitisfied  that  my  fecretaries  Cluver  and  Johlj 
•*  Clement,  who  had  charge  of  my  difburfe- 
**  ments,  have  ferved  me  with  fidelity  and 
**  honour ;  I  humbly  entreat  that  their  acx 
counts,  which  have  receipts,  may  be  pafled, 
and  that  the  other  expenditures  may  be  ad- 
mitted upon  their  oath.  I  repofe  fuch  con-? 
**  fidence  in  his  imperial  majefty,  that  I  truft 
*^  he  will  not  rejeCt  this  my  laft  requeft  ^ 

^*  more 


€€ 
€4 
€C 


4t 
€4 


C*8.    CHARLOTTE  CHRISTINA  SOPHIA.  459 

^*  more  particularly  when  I  rcflcdt  on  the 
^^  repeated  inftances  which  I  have  experienced 
'*  of  his  paternal  tendernefs  and  affedtion/  I 
^^  have  this  alfo  to  add,  that  I  am  only  con- 
^^  cerned  to  leave  this  world  at  a  time  when 
his  imperial  majefty  is  indifpofed^  a  cir- 
cumftance  which  has  prevented  me  from 
thanking  him  in  perfon  for  the  frequent 
**  proofs  I  have  received  of  his  kindnefs  and 
regard.  May  the  Almighty  be  his  jjid 
and  proteftor ;  and  may  he  add  thofe  years 
**  to  his  life  which  are  taken  from  mine  5 
**  which  I  likewife  faithfully,  and  with  my 
^*  whole  heart,  implore  for  her  majefty,  the 
'*  emprefs  ;  and,  after  returning  my  acknow- 
^*  ledgments  due  to  them  for  the  repeated  in- 
**  ftances  of  their  love  and  goodnefs,  I  expire^ 
"  the  moft  humble  and  moft  obedient  daugh- 
^*  ter  of  both  their  majefties, 

^*  Charlotte  Christina  Sophia V 

*f  St.  Pcterfburgb,  oa.  21,  Nov.  i,  N.  S.  1715." 

It  is  a  fufficient  proof  of  the  bad  terms  on 
which  the  princefs  lived  with  her  hufband, 
that  (he  did  not  once  mention  his  name  in 
this  petition ;  unwilling,  perhaps,  to  difturb 
her   laft   moments   with  any   diftrefling  re- 

*  Muller  in  Buf,  XV.  p.  237. 

fledions. 


460  TRAVELS    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.4. 

fle<9:ions.     Her  ardent  defire  to  fee  the  em- 
peror before  fhe  expired,  was  gratified,   Peter, 
who  was  at  Schluffelburgh  at  the  time  of  her 
delivery,  had  fet  off  upon  the  firft  news  of 
that  intelligence  for  Peterfburgh ;  but,  upon 
his  arrival  in  the  capital,  was  fei^ed  with  a 
fudden  illnefs,  which  confined   him   to  his 
chamber.     Upon  perufing,  however,  the  af- 
fcdtionatc  expreflions  of  her  attachment,  he^ 
was   placed  upon   a  machine   rolling   upon 
wheels,  and  thus  conveyed  to  her  apartment. 
Their  interview  was  awful :  fhe  took  leave 
of  him  in  the  moft  moving  language  and 
affefting  manner,  recommending  her  children 
to  his  care,  and  her  fervants  to  his  protedlion ; 
and  received  from  him  every  confolation  which 
her  fituation  would  admit,  and  the  ftrongeft 
aSTurances  that  all  her  wiflics  fhould  be  ful- 
filled.    She  then  embraced  her  children  ;  and, 
having  bedewed  them  with  tears,   delivered 
them  into  the  hands  of  her  hufband,  whom 
decency  obliged  to  be  prefent  at  this  tender 
icene.     After  having  fuffered  the  moft  acute 
pains,  and  ftruggled  with  fucceeding  agonies, 
Ihe  expired  at  midnight  *. 

She  died  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  reli- 
gion, which  (he  had  in  vain  been  folicited  to 

*  MuUer  and  Bruce, 

renounce  j 


C.  8.    CHARLOTTE  CHRISTINA  SOPHIA.  461 

renounce  i  and  nothing  conveys  a  ftronger 
proof  of  the  high  efteem  in  which  (he  was 
held  by  the  em,peror;  than  that,  although 
Ihe  had  not  embraced  the  Greek  perfuafion, 
her  remains  were  interred  in  a  Ruffian  church : 
they  were  depofited  on  the  8  th  of  November 
in  the  cathedral  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul, 
with  all  the  funeral  hoilours  due  to  her  exalted 
ftation. 

I  have  been  thus  particular  in  relating  the 
principal  circumftances  which  attended  her 
death ;  not  only  becaufe  her  fate  is  interefting 
to  every  feeling  mind,  but  alfo  becaufe  a  few 
years  ago  there  appeared  in  France  the  follow- 
ing extraordinary  account  of  this  princefs. 
Soon  after  her  delivery,  as  the  emperor  hap- 
pened to  be  abfent  from  Peterfburgh,  fhe  per- 
fuaded  fome  of  her  attendants  to  circulate  a 
report  of  her  death;  and  her  hufband,  who 
paid  no  attention  to  her  during  her  illnefs, 
ordered  her  to  be  buried  without  delay :  a 
piece  of  wood  was  fubftituted  in  the  place  of 
thv,  body,  and  interred  in  the  cathedral ;  and 
the  princefs  made  her  efcape  into  France, 
Apprehenfive  of  being  there  difcovered,  fhe 
embarked  for  Louifiana ;  where  fhe  married  a 
French  ferjeant,  who  had  formerly  been  at 
Peterfburgh,  to  whom  fhe  bojre  a  daughter. 

In 


46Z         TRAVEL?    INTO    RUSSIA.       B.  4. 

In  1752  flie  came  with  her  hufband  to  Parisj 
was  difcovcrcd  as  fhe  was  walking  in  the 
Thuillcries  by  marflial  Saxe,  who  promifcd 
fecrecy,  and  procured  a  commiflion  for  her 
huiband  in  the  Ifle  of  Bourbon-  Having 
loft  her  hufband  and  child,  fhe,  in  1754, 
returned  to  Paris  with  a  negro  woman.  The 
bills  upon  the  Eafl  India  Company,  which 
fhe  brought  in  her  hufband's  name,  being 
rcfufcd  becaufe  fhe  could  not  prove  hcrfelf  to 
be  his  wife;  a  gentleman,  whom  fhe  had 
known  in  the  Ifle  of  Bourbon,  offered  his 
afUilancc,  which  fhe  declined.  She  confefled, 
it  is  fkid,  to  this  gentleman  her  real  character; 
and  from  him  the  author  of  the  account  pre* 
tends  to  have  received  thefe  anecdotes ;  adding, 
that  fhe  foon  afterwards  difappeared,  and  was 
fuppofed  to  have  retired  to  the  court  of  her 
nephew  the  duke  of  Brunfwiek.  In  this 
wonderful  narrative,  the  king  of  France  is 
alfo  faid  to  have  privately  acknowledged  her, 
and  even  to  have  enjoined  the  governor  of  the 
Ifle  of  Bourbon  to  pay  her  tfcofe  honours 
which  were  due  to  her  rank*  It  is  added, 
that  the  fam?  monarch,  in  a  letter  written 
with  his  own  hand,  communicated  this  dif- 
covery  to  the  emprefs  of  Germany  (then  queen 
of  Hungary),  who  thanked  the  king  for  his 

10  intel- 


C*8.    CHARLOTTE  CHRISTINA  SOPHIA.  465 

intelligence ;  and  immediately  wrote  to  the 
fuppofed  princefs,  as  to  her  aunt ;  advifed  her 
to  quit  her  hulband  and  child,  whom  the 
king  of  France  had  promifed  to  provide  for, 
and  invited  her  to  Vienna. 

Although  I  had  little  reafoa  to  give  credit 
tO"  an  anonymous  author ;  and  the  whole  ftory 
carries  with  it  the  air  of  fiftion,  I  yet  made  it 
the  fubjedl  of  my  refearches.  I  found,  upon 
inquiry,  that  the  circumftances  of  her  death 
were  fuch  as  could  not  be  doubted,  and  2u:-» 
corded  with  the  accounts  which  I  have  before 
related  5  and  I  was,  moreover,  informed  by  a 
Ruflian  nobleman  of  high  diftindion,  that  hi$ 
mother  attended  the  princefs  in  her  illn?fs$ 
that  fhe  was  a  witnefs  to  her  laft  moments  1 
and  faw  herfelf  the  corpfe  laid  in  ftate,  when 
perfons  of  all  ranks  were  admitted  to  kifs  the 
hand  of  the  deceafed  *. 

♦  In  L'Evefque's  Hiftory  of  Ruffia  there  is  an  ample 
detail  of  the  rife  and  progrefs  of  this  anecdote  of  the  prin-^ 
cefs's  efcape  and  adventures.  It  firft  made  its  appearance 
in  Richer's  Continuation  of  the  Abbe  Marcy's  Hiftoire 
Mcderne ;  afterwards  in  Boflu's  Nouveaux  Voyage  dans 
TAmerique  Septentrionale ;  and  lately  was  revived  in 
*'  Pieces  ^  intereffantes  et  peu  connues,  pour  fervir  a 
*'  THiftoire ;"  in  which,  as  an  additional  authprity,  it  is 
qualified  as  an  extract  found  among  the  papers!  of  the  late 
Duclos,  fecretary  of  the  Royal  Academy,  and  Hittoriogra- 
pher  of  France,-  The  anecdote,    like  all  other  ftories 

which 


464        TRAVELS   INTO   RtJSSIA.         B.  4. 

which  arc  improved  in  their  progrefs,  is  drefled  in  fome- 
what  different  fliapes :  in  one  the  name  of  the  hufband  is 
d' Auban,  in  the  other  Moldack ;  in  one  {he  mari-ies  a  third 
time,  and  again  becomes  a  widow :  the  circumftances  of 
her  efcape  are  alfo  varioufly  related,  and  in  all  with  the  moft 
evident  marks  of  falfehood,  and  abfolute  contradiction  to 
die  mod  undoubted  &6b ;  fuch  as  that  fhe  was  affifted  in 
ter  efcape  by  the  countefs  of  Koningfmark,  although  there 
was  no  lady  of  that  name  about  her  perfon,  or  at  Peterf^ 
burgh  ;  that  the  body  of  the  princefs  was  interred  almoft 
at  the  inftant  of  her  deceafe,  and  without  any  funeral  ho* 
Hours ;  that  Peter  L  was  not  at  Peterfburgh  when  flie  died  ; 
that  Ihe  was  brought  to  bed  before  her  time  of  a  princefe, 
with  many  other  fimilar  aflcrtions,  which  fcarcely  deferve 
any  ferious  refutation.    The  reader,  who  is  defirous  of 
further  information  upon  the  fubjeft,  is  referred  toL'Evefquc 
Hiftoire  de  Ruflie,  Tom.  IV.  p.  384 — 389 ;  and  to  the 
latter  part  of  Muller's  account.  Von  der  Princefien  von 
Wdfenbuttel  in  Buf.  Hift.  Mag.  XV.  p.  239  to  241.— 
An  extraA  alfo  of  the  principal  circumftances  of  this  ftory 
is  given  in  the  Gentleman's  Magazine,  and  from  thence  is 
Infertcd  in  the  Annual  Regiftcr  for  1776. 


APPENDIX. 


•  •*** 


t  46s  3 


APPENDIX. 


Catalogue  of  the  principal  Books  cited  in 
the  Courfe  of  this  Work,  with  their  Re- 
ferences. 


A.  Antidote,  &c.  to  a  Book,  entitled  A  Journey  into 

Siberia,  made  in  MDCCLXI,  &c,  by  the  Abbe 
Chappc  d'Auteroche,  1772. 

Antidote  to  the  Abbe  Chappe* 

B.  Ruflifche  Bibliothek  von  Hartw.  Ludw.  Cbrifti  Bach- 

meifter  1772 — 1782.         Bachmeifter's  Ruff.  Bib. 
B.    Memoirs  of  Peter  Henry  Bruce,  Efq;  &c#  London, 

178^.  Bruce's  Memoirs; 

B.    Effai  fur  la  Bibliotheque  et  le  Cabinet  de  Curiofltes  et 

d'Hiftoire  Naturelle  de  TAcademie  des  Sciences  de 

St.  Pctcribourg,  par  Jean  Bachmeifter,  1776. 
B«    Bufching's  Hiftorifches  und  Geographifches  Magazin, 

17  vols,  B.  H.  M, 

Neue  Erdbefchreibung.  Buf.  Erd.  Bef, 

Cf     Hiftoire  d'Eric  XIV.  Roi  de  Suede  traduite  du  Suedois 

de  Mr.  Olaf  Celfius,  &c.  1777. 

Vol.  II.  H  h         C.  Gcfchichte 


466  APPENDIX. 

« 

C.  Gelchichtc  Kocnig  Guftavs  des  Erftcn  von  Olas  Celfia 
— Aus  dcm  Schwedifchen  Ucbcrzctzt,  2  vols.  8vo. 

1753- 
C.     Bibliothecae  Uplalienfis  Hiftoria  AuSore  Celfio,  1745. 

Hift.  Bib.  Up. 

C.     Connor's  Hiftory  of  Poland,  2  vols.  8vo.       Connor. 

C.  Rcglemcnts  dc  Catharine  II.  Pour  TAdminiftration 
des  Gouvernements  de  I'Empire  des  Ruffles,  1778. 

Reglements  de  Catharine. 

C.  Inftruflion  de  Catharine  11.  Pour  la  Commiffion 
Charg^e  de  drefler  le  projet  d'un  Nouveau  Code  de 
Loix,  1769.  Inftruftion  de  Catharine. 

C.  Memoires  pour  fervir  a  la  Connoiflance  des  Affaires 
Politiques  et  Economiques  du  Royaume  de  Suede 
jufqu'a  la  fin  de  1775  me  Annee,  by  Cantzler, 
2  vols.  4to.  '        "  Cantzler. 

C.  Voyages  and  Travels  through  the  Ruffian  Empire, 
Tartary,  and  Pait  of  die  Kingdom  of  Perfia,  by 
John  Cook,  M.  D.  at  Hamilton,  2  vols.  8vo.  1778. 

C.     Crbmeriis  De  Origine  et  Rebus  Geftis  Polonorum.  * 

Cromer. 

C.  A  Relation  of  three  Embaffies  from  His  Sacred  Ma- 
jeftie  Charles  II.  to  the  Great  Duke  of  Mofcovie, 
the  King  of  Sweden,  and  the  Kiiig  of  Denmark. 
Performed  by  the  Right  Hon.  the  Earle  of  Carlifle, 
in  the  Years  1663  and  1664—1669. 

Carlifle*s  Embafly. 

C.     Coyer's  Hiftoire  de  Jean  Sobicfki,  3  vols.  i2m'o. 

Vie  de  Sobiefki. 

D.    Dlu- 


-APPENDIX.  467 

U.    Dlugoffius — Hiftoria  Polonica  Libri  XIIL  * 

Dlugofs.  and  Dlugoffius, 

D.  Olof  Dahlins  Gcfchichte  des  Reiches  Sweden  aus 
dem  Swedifchen  uei)erfetzt,  4  vols,  4to,  1756— 
1763.  Dahlin, 

F.  Hiftory  of  Ruffia,  &c.  by  Giles  Fletcher,  fometimc 

Fellow  of  King's  College  in  Cambridge,  and  cm- 
ployed  in  the  Englifli  Embaffie  1591.        Fletcher. 

G.  Samuel  Gottlieb  Gmelin's  Reife  durch.Rufsland  zuc 

unterfuechung  der  drey  Naturreichc,  3  vols.  4to. 

1770— 1774.  Gmelin's  Reife, 

G.     Gordon's  Hiftory  of  Peter  the  Great,  2  vols.  8vo. 

•  '  Gordon. 

H.     Hanway's  Travels, 

H.     Ludwig   Freyherm  von  Holberg  Daenifche  Reichs 

Hiftorie  ins  Deutfche  ueberfetzt,    4    vols,    4to, 

1757—1759-  Holberg, 

H,  Herberftein's  Rerum  Mofcoviticarum  Commentarii 
in  Mof.  Auftores,  Herberftein* 

H,     Hackluyt's  Voyages,  2  vols^  fol.  Hackluyt* 

K.     Kobicrzicky  Hiftoria  Uladillai  HI. 

Kf  Diarium  itineris  in  Mofcoviam,  &c.  Ann. 
MDCXCVIII.  defcriptum  a  Joanne  Georgio 
Korb.  fol.  Korb, 

Lf  Scriptores  Rerum  Danicarum  Medii  ^vi,  partim 
ha£tenus  inediti,  partim  emendatius  editi ;  quos 
collegit  Jacobus  Langebek,  &c,  5  vols,  fol.  lyjz 
— ^1783,  begun  by  Langebek,  and  continued  by 
Suhm,  Langebek* 

L.    Lubienfld  Tres  Epiftolarum  Decades, 

H  h  2  Lt    Lcng;Qick 


468  APPENDIX. 

L.    Lcngnick  Jus   Publicum    Regni  Polonix,    2  vok, 
i2mo.  Lengnick  Jus  Pub* 

* 

Pa£b  Conventa  Augufti  IIL 

Lengnick  Pac.  Con.  Aug.  UT. 
Hiftoria  Poloniae  a  Lecho  ad  Annum  iT^* 

Lengnick  Hift.  Pol. 
L.    Lind's  Prefent  State  of  Poland. 
L.    L'ETefque's  Hiftoire  dc  Ruffle,  5  vols.  i2mo.  1782. 

L'Evefque. 
L.    Le  Clerc*s  Hiftoire  Phyfique,  Morale,  Civile  et  Po- 
litique de  la  Ruffle  Ancienne  et  Modeme,  3  vols. 
4to.  1783,  Le  Clerc. 

M.    Muller's  Samlung  Ruffifcher  Gefchichte,  9  vols.  8vo. 
from  1752  to  1764.  S.  R.  G. 

M.    Iter  in  Mofcoviam  Liberi  Baronis  de  Mayerberg,  &c. 
Anno  MDCLxi.  Mayerberg. 

M.    Account  of  Denmark,  as  it  was  in  the  Year  1692,  by 
Lord  Molefworth,  1738.  Molefworth . 

M-    A.  de  la  Motraye's  Travels  through  Europe,  Afia, 
and  into  Part  of  Africa,  3.  vols.  foK 

Motraye's  Travels. 
M.    MUton*s  Brief  Hiftory  of  Mofcovia. 
M,     Manftein's  Memoirs  of  Ruffia,  Hiftorical,  Political, 
Military,  from  1727  to  1744,  printed  in  1770. 

Manftein.^ 
M.    ^bauche  pour  donner  une  idee  de  la  Forme  de  Gou- 
vernement  de  I'Empire  de  Ruffle.    By  Count  Mu- 
nich. Ebauche. 
M.    Eftat  de  I'Empire  de  Ruffle  et  Grande  Duche  dc 
Mofcovie,  avec  ce  qui  s'y  eft  pafTe  de  plus  memo- 

rabl« 


r      . 


APPENDIX.  469 

rable  et  tragique,  pendant  le  regne  dc  quatre  Em- 
pereurs :  a  f^avoir  depuis  Tan  1590,  jufques  en  Pan 
1606  en  Septembre.  Par  le  Capitaine  Margaret^ 
Paris  1669.  Margaret. 

M.    Johannis  Moflenii  Scondia  Dluftrata.   Meff.  Scon.  HI. 

M.    Hiftoire  de  Dannemarc,  par  Mallet,  3  vols.  4to^ 
1758— 1777.  Mallet. 

O.     Orichovii  Annales.  Orichovius. 

O.    Voyage  de  Perfc  et  de  Mofcovie  par  Adam  Olearius. 

Olearius. 

P.  Marmora  Danica  Selefiiora,  &c.  ab  Erico  Pontoppi- 
dano,  2  vols.  fol.  1739 — 1741. 

P.    Journal  of  St.  Peterfburgh,  i77^to  1782. 

Jour.  St.  Pet. 

This  periodical  publication  in  the  German  tongue 

contains  many  curious  difquifltions  on  the  Hiftory 

of  Ruifia,  and  particularly  feveral  by  the  celebrated 

Muller. 

P.  P.  S.  Pallas  Reife  durch  Verfchiedene  Provinzen  des 
Ruffifchen  Reichcs,  3  Parts,  5  vols.  4to,  177 1 
—  1776.  Pallas  Reife. 

P.  Joh.  Perinfkiold  Monumenta  Sueogodiica,  Uplandiae 
partem  primam  Tbiundiam  continens.    Fol.  1710. 

Perinf. 

Monumenta  UUerakerenfia — cum  Upfalia  Novi    il- 

luftrata.     Fed.  17 19.        Perinfkiold  Upfala  Nova. 

P.     Paftorii  Florus  Polonicus,  1679.  Florus  Pol. 

R.  Roger's  Lettres  fur  le  Dannemarc,  2  vds.  Svo. 
1 764 — 1 768.  Lettre*  fur  la  Dannemarc* 

R.     Account  of  Sweden,  as  it  was  in  the  year  1688,  by 

Bifhop  Robinfon,  1738. 

S.     A  Hiftory 


> 


-  t 


>  > 


(       V 


470  APPENDIX. 

S.  A  Hiftory  of  the  late  Revolution  in  Sweden,  &c.  by 
Charles  Francis  Shericlan,  Efq;  Secretary  to  the 
Britifh  envoy  in  Sweden  at  the  time  of  the  late 
Revolution.  Sheridan. 

S*     Sarnicius— -Aofiales  I^olonici.  Sarnifki. 

§ ,  Schloetzer's  Beylagen  sum  Nueveraendartes  Rufsland, 
publifhed  under  the  fiftitious  name  of  Haygold, 
a  vols.  1769— 1770. 

Haygold,  or  HaygoU's  Beylagen, 
Schloetzer's  Briefwechfel. 
5.    Probe  Ruffifcher  Annalem  von  Auguft  Ludwig  Schlo- 
etzer,  8vo.  1768.  Schloetzer's  Probe, 

S,    Schmidt's  Ruffiff(^e  Gefchichte,  2  vols. 

Schmidt  Rufs.  Gef. 

Beytrtge  zu  Kentniifs  der  StaatfverfaflTung  von  RufT- 

land,  1772.  Schmidt's  Beytragc. 

Materialien  zu  der  Ruififchen  Gefchichte  feit  dem 

Todc  des  Peter  des  Groffen.    Part  ift. 

Schmidt  Materialien. 
$•    Gefchichte  Daennemarks,  &c.     Aufdem  Daenifchen 

ueberietzt  von  Peter  Friedrick  Suhm,  1777. 
5.     Die  crfte  und  wichtigfte  Aufftaiid  der  Stfelitzen  in 
Mofkau  im  J.  1682,  in  May  Aus  dem  Ruififchen 
^  ^e$  Staatraths  Alexander  Sumorokow,  1772. 

Sumorokof, 
V.    Voltaire's  Hiftoire  de  I'Empire  d&Ruifie. 

.     Hiftoire  de  Charles  XII.  Roi  de  Suede. 
V%    Letters  from  a  Lady  (Mrs.  Vigor)  who  refided  Ibmc 
years  in  Ruffia,  to  her  Friend  in  England,  1775, 

Letters  from  Ruflta« 


« 


APPENDIX.  471 

W.    Wraxall's  Tour   through  the  Northern  Parts  of 
Europe,  &c.  1776.  W|-axairs  Toixr. 

W.     Weber's  Verandertes  Rufsland,  1739,  1744. 

Weber. 
W.,    Danicorum    Monumentorum    Libri  fex,    &c.    ab 

Olao  Wormio.    Fol.  1743. 
Z.     Zavodlky  Hiftoria  Arcana, 
Z,     Zalufki  Epiftolae  Hiftorico  femiliares,  4  vol.  fol. 

Zalufki  Epi&. 


END    OP     VOLUME      II. 


M  »■ 


••^^^•"■7^ 


.* 


L